Another World
by Plastic Emotion
Summary: One simple accident changes a few GGs lives forever, and so the changes continue...[Completed]
1. The Story

**Another World**

**Author's Note**: _This story is about weird fantasy creatures I love and of course, Jet Set Radio Future. If anything gets too confusing, please say so in reviews so I can make the story come along better. One note to take in, I made Tab and Corn brothers (idea from_ http:www.jetsetrevolution. _) Check that site out, it's really great and you'll see what the Tab I'm thinking of looks like, so you won't ask certain questions later on in the story. Enjoy and review!_

**The Story**

_Unique and different are two very diverse words, yet they can mean the same thing. It depends on the person using the word and in what text. Not many people think of it that way, but the truth is, not many people need a reason to say why…_

It was a dark, chilly night as thirteen teenagers crammed themselves on or around a red cozy couch, trying to watch a movie. Each very different and unique, treating each other as family.

"Move your head!" growled Cube, one of the members of the GG gang. She was unlike the rest in the way she did things, but she felt that she belonged and they felt the same way. Her dark eyes glared at the boy next to her who continually kept falling asleep and ending up drooling on her shoulder. "I'm up, I'm up!" yawned the boy, his voice piercing through the air.

"SHHHH!" most of the viewers complained. "What I miss?" he asked Combo, one of the older members of the gang. The young man looked down at the boy, "Depends when you fell asleep."

He shook his head, "I don't remember…" He removed his sunglasses to rub his eyes. Drowsiness was consuming him, and he was lost for most of the movie anyway. He drew up a knee and rested his head on it, waiting for something interesting to happen. The screen was lit up as the killer of the movie brought forth a knife and slit the captive's body apart. A mild squeak from the boy's left forced him to glance at the girl which it came from. Rhyth, dressed in blue as her assumed favorite color, sat with her arms around her knees, sinking her head behind them to cover her eyes, but peeking out a bit to watch even though she didn't want to.

She wasn't much for murder movies and gore, but it was the boys' turn to choose what they wanted to watch this week. She knew it was torture for them to watch romance or anything with a soap opera touch to it, so everyone agreed that each week they would take turns for what they were going to see so everyone would, in some way, be happy.

Rhyth felt no comfort in these movies and they would always leave a bad feeling when she went to bed. "It's only a movie…" she whispered as softly as she could. "What?" whispered back a voice. She broke her view from the television, silently thanking the boy next to her for this break, "Nothing." "Yoyo, if you ain't gonna shut up, go back to sleep!" hissed Beat, who was sitting on the couch behind him. Yoyo glared at him, "What the hell's your problem, yo? You've seen this damn movie three times already!"

An ear piercing scream cut them off and their attention went back to the movie. Rhyth sighed, disappointed that the distraction was put off, and slowly went back to watching the movie.

"Why do you think I did it? I didn't break it…you always blame everything on me…"

Rhyth turned her attention to the other boy on her left, who had fallen asleep and was mumbling. "Tab, get up! You're mumbling again." she said, poking his arm. "What…" he whispered, hat pulled over his eyes. "Wake up!" she repeated, pulling his arm. He stretched and sat up, lifting his hat so that his eyes looked like half circles under the headwear.

"Movie nights are putting me to sleep…" he yawned, cracking his knuckles. "It's two in the morning, when is this thing gonna end?" he whispered, receiving glares from the first sentence. "I'm not sure." shrugged Rhyth, eyes traveling back to the gory scene of the movie.

"Well, it's still early, what's left to do?" asked Beat, getting up and putting the movie back into its cover. Yoyo lifted his head from the floor, "Early according to who, yo?" Cube glanced at her watch, "Well, technically, it's three…"

"Rhetorical question, yo!"

"You don't even know what rhetorical means, dude." smiled Clutch, leaning his head on the armrest of the couch. "How 'bout we actually sleep?" suggested Jazz, eyes closing every so often. Loud snoring answered her question as Tab fell back on the floor at the words. Boogie went to the kitchen and tossed everyone a soda, "What's something good to pass the time until twelve?"

The ex-captain of police division O, Captain Hayashi, had been rehired after Rokakku was brought down. Not everyone liked the troublesome teens racing through the streets now that Tokyo no longer needed heroes. No one appreciated anything anymore. Hayashi had been recently told that he was free to arrest any of the teens, if he saw them, from twelve in the afternoon to twelve midnight later on that day, to prove himself as a commanding officer. Corn, the GG leader, decided it was best that they all lay low in their garage for the day. They would watch movies or anything else to get them sleepy. They would then sleep all day, not causing anything for reason to be arrested.

Corn shook Tab, "Gotta stay awake _now_, you'll have nothing to do later when we're all sleepin' and no one's gonna wanna hear you." Tab looked up at Corn grimly and muttered, "Yeah…"

"Nothing to do but talk." sighed Gum, staring at the night sky above. "Not like we wanna talk…" yawned Garam, voice trailing away as he rested his head on his arm. "What passes time, no matter what?" asked Cube.

"Sleeping!" shouted Yoyo, lifting his head to answer, then letting it drop on the floor.

The gang stayed quiet, trying not to fall asleep or walking to the nearest sink to wash their faces with icy cold water. "When I was small, my grandmother used to tell stories to make the time go by..." started Rhyth, sitting crossed legged on the floor. "Well, it's the best idea so far. Any stories?" muttered Soda in a muffled voice. Rhyth looked around, "Not me."

Tab, who had been awake for a few minutes smiled and looked up, pointing to his brother, "I'm sure Corn's got something good. He's always telling me bull crap lies and he makes them up pretty quick!"

"Yeah, sad thing is you believe them."

"That's why I don't believe anything you say anymore."

"Which is why you're the way you are today."

Tab blinked blankly and pulled his hat over his eyes, leaning on the couch with his arms cradling comfort to his head, "Tell somethin'." Rhyth tilted her head, wondering what could come from her suggestion. Corn looked away from everyone in a serious tone, perfect for telling something creepy. They could almost hear the perfect silence, hearts already pacing with what they didn't know.

Corn relaxingly leaned back in his chair, tossed one arm over the back, and started, "Well, I've heard of something…"

The tone of his voice startled the awaiting group who were already getting used to the quiet of the garage.

"Nobody believes in monsters at this age. Not the shadow in the closet or the thing under the bed…no ghosts, gremlins, or zombies. But I doubt any of you know about the abandoned warehouse down by Kibogaoka Hill."

Boogie smiled as he mentioned her old home town. There were many warehouses in Kibogaoka Hill. That part wasn't made up. What he was getting at, as she listened in, she didn't know yet. "Duh, there's loads down there, Corn!" interrupted Yoyo, receiving a smack in the head from Beat, "Shut up!"

Corn smiled grimly, "Yes, but only one has someone living in it. Some_ things_. When the sun sinks into the sea and the moon shines brightly, strange noises arise from that warehouse. Sounds of old waltz music and small chat mingling. But when one enters in, all is gone and everything is as dark as outside."

Tab grinned and chuckled to himself. "Oh, he's got 'em!" he thought.

Boogie stared at Corn. She had heard about this strange warehouse also. But very strange stories had come from this place, people disappearing, odd sounds, screams in the night…things she'd rather not think about. Yet, of course, Corn would tell something of this kind.

"I've seen the so called 'hell house' myself." Corn smirked as some of his gang's eyes widened. "It's a slow melody that lures you to the place, old and broken outside, but it sounds like some old fashioned party inside. You could almost imagine the people talking and dancing. The chandeliers shining the room up all fancy. I opened the door, but there was nothing there."

Tab sat up a bit. He knew he shouldn't be believing Corn, but there _was_ that time Corn had gone to Kibogaoka and he seemed a little disturbed when he came back. Corn's face suddenly morphed into an odd expression the GG gang had never seen before. It was of seriousness and fear, mixed with an odd look of knowing the truth, but not wanting to believe it.

"Then I saw her…"

There was a loud bang off the side of the garage near the Rokkaku Dai exit, forcing some girls to scream and alarming the boys. Corn slowly skated to where the noise had come from and searched for anyone or anything that might have caused the bang. Beat joined him, "What was that?" Corn shook his head, "I dunno…" Beat's head tilted downwards and noticed something shining oddly in the moonlight, since only a quarter of the garage lights were on. "What's this?" he said, bending down and touching the floor. Indented in the metal of the stairs were five long talon-looking marks, graved into the stairs.

"Those aren't any skate marks I know…" started Beat in a nervous tone. "Ah, don't worry about it, nothing's here now." sighed Corn, forgetting the minor damage. Beat nodded and rejoined the gang, sitting in his spot. "What was it?" asked Cube, about to stand. "Nothing." answered Corn, motioning her to sit down. "Well that 'nothing' was pretty loud for being 'nothing'." remarked Yoyo, who was now sitting hunched over his knees.

"Finish the story!" reminded Clutch. Rhyth looked at him and then to the floor. She wasn't so sure she wanted Corn to finish. This was already creeping her out.

"Then I saw her…" he repeated, getting into that mood again, "Her face paler than a corpse, eyes as wide as tennis balls, but her lips were a bright blood red. It was too red for lipstick or normal color, but she wasn't _normal_ herself…she had brown, wavy mangled hair was all over the place, but a single strand hung in front of her face, between her eyes. I thought she was frozen with her face pushed against the window, her nose sorta pushed in, but she was watching me. Her hands were on either side of her face, against the window too, but her palms were whiter than her face. It was freaky. I almost thought to get help, thinkin' she died or something, but her hollow black eyes followed me while I skated. I blinked, and she was gone, but I knew I wasn't seeing things. She was there, and I haven't gotten that chick out of my head since."

Each one imagined the girl according to the description, which Corn had done well on, and shuttered. "Oh great going, now I'm really not gonna sleep until the sun comes out!" groaned Yoyo, rubbing his eyes. "S-s-scared?" teased Beat, mocking Yoyo by an exaggeration of shuttering. "No! Just, that's gross, yo! She's all nasty and…wait…" Yoyo grinned, "Right, I forgot this was a story. Damn, you're right Tab. He _is_ good at this stuff!"

Tab nodded, but with thought. Corn looked too serious for this. Was he telling the truth? Or was he getting better at his acting? Tab shrugged, he would never understand anything totally anymore. All he knew was that he was tired.

Rhyth blinked nervously, checking over her shoulder. "Can we sleep now!" complained Clutch, "Or are there anymore stories?" Corn glanced at his watch and nodded, "Yeah, we can sleep now."

Rhyth gathered herself together and stood with a smile, happy to be able to sleep now, but she faced a new problem. She was afraid to. Skating quickly to her door, she turned the knob and opened. An animalistic growl howled at her, making her scream the loudest she could for being startled and scared at the same time. Everyone who was about to enter their own rooms stared her way. High pitched laughing arouse from the inside of her room and soon made his way to the doorway, "Gotcha good, eh Rhyth?"

Anger bubbled within her like a pot of water over a stove. "YOYO!" She grabbed the front of his hood and pulled him away from her room onto the floor in a swift throw. Glaring at him, she slammed the door heatedly and climbed into her bed frigidly, feeling the embarrassment as she realized how loudly she had screamed. Her heart ached with humiliation as she rolled over, swallowing so her throat wouldn't feel choked up, and closed her eyes.

Outside her room, in the main center of the garage, Yoyo was being scolded by almost everyone.

"What's wrong with you!"

"Yoyo, you know how she is!"

"Geez, what are you, two?"

Yoyo stared at them all grimly, "Well, you all treat her like she's two!" Glares from most of the gang followed him as he moved. "I don't get it, if it was anyone else but Rhyth, you would've all been fine with it! But 'cause I messed with Rhyth, you all get on the defensive!" he fumed, waving his arms around.

Beat sighed as the others shook their heads, "Dude, just leave Rhyth alone…"

Yoyo opened his mouth to reply, but shut it. He breathed deeply and skated toward his room, but waited for everyone else to go into theirs before he did. He hated when he was being talked about behind his back. He'd rather listen in right there, so they would feel awkward with him there. He realized no one had turned off the garage lights, so he traveled in a tired, bored manner to the light switch and flicked them off. A loud thud sounded as the lights blew off, like ones in a basketball court. As he went to his room, he felt an odd breeze behind him, like something ran past.

Turning around, he saw nothing, but since there was no wind that night, he knew this was odd. He shrugged it off and continued to his room. He opened the door and stepped inside, viewing his normal everyday mess of clothes all over and books tossed on the floor aided with game covers everywhere and game disks on his desk or on top of his TV. He smiled, this was home to him. And no one ever told him to clean it up. Not like he would anyway. He stepped inside and twisted a bit to close the door, but stopped.

Not someone, but some _thing_, had run out through the Shibuya Terminal exit. Images of the little girl ran through Yoyo's mind as he slammed his door shut and scurried into his bed.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _I thought of this girl from some movie I was watching. I can't remember the name though. I'll be working on this heartedly, so be kind. (lol)_


	2. Visitors

**Visitors**

It was noon and there was not a sound in the garage, except for snoring or mumbling coming from the roommates in the sleeping quarters.

The cops, on the other hand, were all getting extremely nervous as Captain Hayashi was becoming furious over that fact that he had not caught one rudie that day. It had only been an hour after his search had started, but he wanted what he wanted _now_. Two of the Love Shockers had gotten away and a giant brute of a fellow had knocked three officers down, injuring one and leaving the others to run away as he chased _them _with a spray can.

"Get me an espresso." Hayashi commanded, pissed off, "It's going to be a long day."

_**

* * *

**_

"Are you sure you know where you're going?"

"It's a short cut."

"You and your stupid short cuts! Why can't we just ever go the long way?"

"Why can't you ever just shut up?"

Two bickering teens, the only proof that they could be fairly related, trailed along the ends of Dogenzaka Hill. The brother was a light skinned teen with a passion for dark colors. He wore a black T-shirt that ended by the middle of his thigh that had the word "Jammer" painted across in silver paint. His shady blue Jean shorts and half silver, half black skates proved he belonged in a nocturnal environment. To end his dress wear off, on his hands he wore black gloves and a black bandana, covering his short black hair. The only thing that stood out from him was his icy blue eyes that shined with a serious, but ready to do anything dared glow.

His sister was a total different spin off. Her dark blond hair was pulled into two pigtails, with brown highlights decorating her hair in a way that it seemed to be streaked in between the natural blond. She also had icy blue eyes that glowed with a bright energy, the same determination as her brother's, but with a different and wiser attempt to try anything. She wore a white halter top that was navy blue rimmed and a lighter navy blue skirt that was in folds all around. Her skates shined in the sun with the same half white, half blue. Even though they were as different as could be, they were twins and shared an equal trouble hidden within. They both wore a round, silver amulet around their neck with inscriptions of an ancient language.

The boy made a turn into an odd alleyway that he had seen before, but not his sister. "Where are we?" she asked in an awed voice. He had led her into a backyard of some kind. In front of them was a giant stereo system, part of a second floor, a rectangular dog house and pinball machine, and a basketball net. On both sides of this place were long, motel looking, one-floor accommodations with doors. "I don't like this place, let's get out of here." the girl whispered, "It looks like someone lives here."

"Well, if you stay quiet, maybe they won't hear us passing!" the other hissed, already becoming impatient. They were going to be late for their meeting. The boy began to skate slowly and quietly, watching his steps and where he was going. The sister followed, but wasn't so careful in being unnoticeable. "This will lead us to Rokkaku-Dai…" the boy whispered, taking a few seconds to realize he wasn't being followed any more. "Candy! What are you doing!" he hissed angrily, watching his sister pet the dog that had woken up from his sleep.

"Look! Isn't he cute?" she coed, petting the dog's head while he wagged his tail. "I should hope you do." sighed her brother, "Now, c'mon!" Candy waved to the dog and began to follow her brother again, but the dog began to follow. "No! Go back, puppy!" she cringed, receiving glares from the boy in front.

The dog barked alarmingly and loudly, making the two jump. "No, don't!" she cried, racing off to her brother.

"Potts! SHUT UP!" yelled Cube, opening her door, ready to throw a slipper she had at him. She stared at the two strangers in the garage, "Hey! Who are you!"

Not answering her, they both tried to speed off, but more of these people came out, blocking off any exit they could escape from. A tall blond headed guy approached them, "What are you doing in our garage?" he asked. "We just wanna get to Rokkaku-Dai. We're trying to get to a meet and we were running late. Sorry for the disruption in…your home?" the boy finished awkwardly, not knowing if that was the right ending to say.

The group of people scanned them from top to bottom, waiting for their leader to decide. "There's some crazy cop chasing after every rudie in Tokyo. We were trying to use the safest way and my brother used the wrong shortcut." apologized the girl.

"You _do_ know you just trespassed into GG headquarters." announced the guy, "I'm Corn, leader of this gang. Who _are_ you?"

The girl stepped forward and smiled, "I'm Candy." The boy looked at Corn with a sleepy, bored look to him, "Jam."

Three of the GG members, Gum, Boogie, and Rhyth, were each hiding a smile as the boy glanced at everyone, passing them. "Oh, he is _cute_!" whispered Boogie, covering her mouth as she crossed her arms. "I _know_!" agreed Gum, using the same motion as Boogie. Rhyth tried her best to not giggle or do anything that would end up in making herself look like a fool in front of him. This boy had a hypnotic type of look to his eye to catch a girl without him even noticing. Of course, his sister knew this, and did her best to keep troublesome girls away.

Candy eyed the three right away and mentally marked off on her list to watch out for them. Her brother could be so clueless. The sun was already overhead, changing into an orange color, but not yet sinking. The two glanced at this change and sighed. They had missed the meeting and the others were not going to be happy about this.

Next to Corn stood Tab, silent, yet alert. The girl in front of him seemed to be bothered by something, but what? Her brother, Jam, looked calm enough to fall asleep right there. Tab ignored these acts and watched Candy instead as a small smile appeared on his face. "Are you a new gang?" asked Candy after some silence had gone by. "A new gang?" piped Yoyo in a jolt.

"I've never heard of any GG gang before."

"Where've you been?" he asked, wondering about these two. They didn't look to trustworthy enough. They might be for other gangs, trying to receive information. "I don't really listen to what people say much anymore." Candy answered with a shrug. Yoyo wasn't paying much attention to her as he was getting a bad feeling from Jam. He was odd. Yoyo couldn't put his finger on what was up, but something was.

Jam could feel Yoyo's watch on him, and this annoyed the living hell out of him. He hated being watched, overviewed, or anything of the sort. It reminded him too much of school when a teacher would smack him for something that wasn't his fault or accuse him of cheating when someone happened to drop their paper on the floor for two seconds.

He threw Yoyo a dirty look, making Yoyo glare. Now Yoyo definitely didn't like this guy and he had only known him for five minutes. "Can we go now?" asked Candy, with a tinge of innocence in her large blue eyes. "No point. The thing's over." remarked her brother, finally breaking eye contact with Yoyo.

The sun was now in a red phase, time had run out. "So, what are you planning to do with us?" he continued, "Now that you made us miss our meeting." "Oh, won't you _please_ forgive us? We forgot to let our home become an open highway." mocked Yoyo with a smirk. "How do you know that you can get to Rokkaku-Dai faster this way?" questioned Cube, crossing her arms.

The two siblings exchanged glances and knew they should let Jam answer this one. "Word on the street. I've heard you can get to 99th Street, Dogenzaka Hill, and Shibuya Terminal from here, too."

"What gang are you in?" asked Corn, wondering about these two. "We don't belong in any gang." answered Jam. He was a rudie, paired only with his sister for a greater purpose than just living out life in a street gang. He was going to make the world safer. At least starting with Tokyo.

"I don't see any problems with word on the street. I hear them all the time. Since you have no where to go now, why don't you both hang out here for a while?" suggested Gum. Yoyo rolled his eyes. He knew this was only a way for her to be closer with this new guy. Yoyo wasn't too sure about the sister, but he didn't get any negativity from her.

Soda, Jazz, Garam, and Combo went back to their rooms to sleep, leaving the rest with the intruders. Corn turned to Tab, "Don't you have some repairing to do?" Tab muttered and started to skate away in search of the gang's vulgar robot. Roboy needed a tune up.

Jam and Candy, still in the same spots, watched as the circle departed. Most of it anyway. "So, where are you from?" asked Gum, pointing the question at Jam. Candy crossed her arms and sighed. "All over." answered Jam, sliding his hands into his pockets. The girl shook her head and decided to find out as much about this new place as she could until their welcome was terminated. Yoyo was about to skate off when she grabbed his arm, "Wait! Can I get a tour?"

Yoyo froze with confusion, "A tour?" Candy nodded, "Yeah, I've never seen this place before." The boy thought about it for a minute and nodded. "Alright, follow me."

**

* * *

**

"And over here…is our robot, Roboy, but he's being worked on right now." Yoyo introduced, extending his arm out at the robot. Tab glanced up and then went back to his work. Nothing seemed to work. Roboy recently caught a bug that was affecting his speech, but Tab hadn't been able to find out what it was or where Roboy had caught this from. No one was able to understand him and in order for Tab to work on him, he needed to be shut down. That was two weeks ago. Roboy wasn't going to be happy when he would be turned on.

Tab sighed and shook his head, "I don't get it!" Candy tilted her head, "What are you doing?"

"Roboy has a virus, but I don't know where he got it from! Or how to get it out…"

Tab hooked up his laptop to Roboy and began typing. "Look, every time I try to get into the virus, it shuts down my computer. There's nothing I can do if I can't use my laptop…" he sighed.

Yoyo shrugged, "It's been quieter here anyway." The three of them glanced at the lifeless robot. "I know, but I worked so hard on making him work after Corn found him…" Tab noted sadly. "Maybe I can help?" suggested Candy sitting next to Tab on the floor. "I'm pretty good with technology."

Yoyo kneeled behind them and watched. This would be interesting. "Roboy…is his own robot?" she asked, turning to Tab. Nodding, Tab placed a CD into the laptop and opened the software up, "Yeah, he does his own thing, but I have everything he does recorded so if there's anything strange going on with him, I can compare it with the last update."

"And it's his speech?"

"Yup."

Candy stared off into the distance, her mind at work. Roboy was his own robot. If he wasn't controlled by anything or plugged into anything, what could give him a virus that malfunctions his speech? "Is this the only hook up line you have for him?" Candy asked suddenly, pointing to the laptop wire. "Well…there's another that my laptop hooks up with, but it doesn't go into Roboy. It accesses my computer to the internet." answered Tab, raising his hands in a useless information matter.

Candy's eyes roamed over the robot, tilting her head as she noticed the chest. "Where's the line that hooks this up with the net?"

Tab handed it to her and she plugged it into a socket. "Can I?" she asked, pointing to the small, black computer resting in front of Tab. He slid it over to her and she opened the Start menu and documents. There was one labeled Roboy's Stuff. "Did you make that file?" she interrogated, pointing to the file with the computer arrow.

"No, that's Roboy's."

Candy clicked on the file and the screen was soon covered in hundreds of music files. "If Roboy downloaded a music file from the internet that was virus infected…" she started. "It might've traveled to him if he downloaded it to his own collection. The music and radio sounds from his mouth, so that's a good possibility!" smiled Tab, opening the music files one by one. "This might take a while…" he sighed, deleting the files from Roboy's internal hard drive.

As soon as he was done, Tab checked Roboy's profile, making sure everything was in order. Yoyo glanced at him, "You sure you wanna turn him on, yo?" The comment was made too late as Tab had already started turning Roboy on. The Robot's eyes and mouth began glowing and his records inside his chest started to spin to normal. "Did it work?" asked Candy while Roboy stood up.

Static filled Roboy's talking pattern, but soon went away as his simulated anger began cursing Tab for taking so long. "Yeah, he's back." smiled Yoyo, laughing. "What the hell was in me for you to take two damn weeks to get out!" Roboy fumed, facing Tab.

"I guess I needed some help with something I never thought about before." grinned Tab, looking at Candy. She smiled also and waved at Roboy. "Who are you?" asked Roboy, turning to her. "Candy. And you're Roboy. No need for another introduction." she said, placing her hands on her hips. "Good, I see my name's comin' out far." he replied, skating away.

Tab rolled his eyes and turned to Candy, "Hey thanks…," he started, rubbing his neck, "I never would've thought of that…really!" She giggled, "No problem. I see Roboy's happy. I think…" Yoyo stretched, "Yeah, that's about the happiest you'll ever see him."

Candy glanced at her watch and her expression became solemn. "We need to go." "But you just got here…" Tab said glumly. "Yeah, I know, but you know, schedule and all…maybe we'll visit." she said cheerfully. As she made her way back to her brother, Tab nodded with a smile. Yoyo grinned and elbowed Tab in the ribs. The boy glanced at him, "What?" Yoyo kept his grin and Tab sighed, "_What!_"

Candy finally got through to her brother, "Jam, we need to leave!" He looked at her, "Huh?" "Leave as in go!" she repeated, pulling the front of his shirt. "Nice meeting all of you!" he called back to the girls. The saddened looks on their faces disappeared as he waved. Candy bumped into Corn, "Thanks for keepin' us around, but it's about time we headed out."

"Yeah, and sorry about before with the break-in. Normally, we would've gone through the regular way, but today that captain was desperate." nodded Jam. "I know. That's why we were all in." replied Corn, skating with them to the Dogenzaka Hill exit. "Didn't mean to make you miss whatever you were going to, but we usually don't get visitors we're not expecting so we all gotta be alert."

"Oh don't worry about that. I'll just say it was Jam's fault." smirked Candy as he gave her a cold glare. The two skated off and Corn went back inside to check if Roboy was working properly.

They weren't too far from the garage when Candy stopped suddenly with a dark rage of emotion across her face. "What were you thinking!" she yelled, shaking him. He pushed her off, "They were supposed to be sleeping!" She shook her head, "No! They had to know you were there! Well, not _you_ personally, but something! I saw the marks!" He looked to the ground and sighed, "Okay, so I slipped, not entirely my fault, but why did the old man have to change it to the sewage facility? We were perfectly fine where we were meeting before!"

"You know we can't stay in one place for long before getting found!"

"I hate this job…"

"We didn't ask for this. We were chosen!"

"Yeah and I still have the scars on my leg to prove it…" Jam ended grimly. They removed their skates and hide them in an alleyway not far from a light post. "This is more of a curse than anything." Jam said softly. Candy walked barefoot, as her brother, in silence. She didn't want to think of anything right now. Or maybe, just maybe, that new boy she met. She shook her head. She couldn't afford such things to clog her mind when it needed to be as clear as the night sky.

As the siblings walked off to their destination, they didn't realize they were being followed by a curious acquaintance.

* * *

Author's Note: Any Critic? Review! 


	3. Big Mistake

**Big Mistake**

"Why are they walking without shoes? That's gross!" thought the young follower. This one wasn't the cleanest of the gang, but he knew what not to do and where. His example, you don't walk on the street barefoot. He didn't even want to know what people did or threw on that dirty concrete. Probably much worse than him.

His yellow skates scraped against the sidewalk, his mind acknowledging where he was, but his gut feeling telling him that something was different. The two in front were a good distance away and he wanted it that way. Getting caught was not on the agenda. It had happened before, but sometimes you have to do things yourself if you want them to end up on your side of the game board.

Luckily it was a clear night. Wondering where they could possibly go after entering Shibuya Terminal without their skates, he hid behind one of the large pillars concealed in the shadows. They had also stopped to talk about something he wasn't able to hear. The two looked up at the sky, eyes shining an odd silvery color.

"What are they doing?" wondered the boy, squinting to get a better view. The moonlight seemed to beam down on them as they closed their eyes. The viewer's eyes widened as they began to transform into animalistic forms. The two siblings still looked like themselves, mixed with a bit of dog. The follower backed into the pillar, staring away from the two. It had to be the moonlight playing tricks on his vision. There was no way he saw what he did. It wasn't possible. Nothing like this existed in _real_ life.

He took a deep breath and peeked out again. No one was there.

"C'mon! If we're late to this one, I'm blaming _you_!" whispered a young male voice.

"Wait! I can smell…a human!"

"No kidding, they only walk around here everyday!"

"No, this scent is fresh."

"I don't care! Let's go!"

The girl peeked around, "You don't think we're being followed, do you?" Jam glanced at her, silver eyes aglow, "When do I ever think before I act?" She sighed with boredom, "Good point…" Jam bent on all fours and nodded his head in the Hikage Street direction. They both sprinted off, leaving a watchful viewer awed.

As soon as they were gone, he carefully tiptoed to the street linking Shibuya Terminal with the garage. "How the heck am I gonna prove this one, yo?" he sighed, rubbing his head. According to their conversation, were they trying to break into the garage before? Was their friendliness a fraud? Many questions popped into Yoyo's head as he skated blindly, too occupied with his thoughts to notice where he was going.

"I knew something was up with that guy!" Yoyo smirked, proud of himself for his first judgment on Jam. After a while, Yoyo realized he had been leading himself away from the garage and back to Shibuya, near Hikage Street. "Not where I wanna be right now…" he muttered nervously. His memory did not let him forget the image of their fangs growing in and fingers growing pointer.

As he was about to turn around, a sudden growl startled him. "Uhhh…"

Yoyo turned around, hands ready to reach in his pockets for the only weapons he had on him, spray cans. Whatever this thing was, Yoyo was going to be ready for it. "It can't be Hayashi…" thought the boy, "That thing was over with a while ago…"

A rage of snorting came from behind the lone GG, causing him to turn alarmingly, but he couldn't see anything. The creature ran at a fast pace around Yoyo, sounding like twenty of them were about to attack. Then, all of a sudden, the noise stopped. No breathing, no running, no growling. Yoyo arched an eyebrow, "What the heck was that…"

Returning one can to his pocket and holding one for emergency, Yoyo skated away softly, keeping a watchful eye out for anything out of the ordinary. A large shadow sped across his path, stunning him for a moment. Yoyo blinked and clenched his teeth, wondering why this thing was following him. The creature began running around him again, but this time, Yoyo could see the outline of it. It was a beastly thing, his large claws scraping against the cold concrete of the street, the slim moonlight shining against his thick black fur, and his snout lifting to reveal his dangerously large, dagger fangs.

It paused in front of Yoyo, its bright silver eyes fixed and centered on him. Yoyo gulped as he knew he had no chance against this thing. It was either he was going to die, or die trying to live. His heart sank as the monster rose on its two back legs, bringing it to seven, almost eight feet tall. Double the motionless boy's height was. It spread out its arms to reach for the sky and it let out a deafening howl.

At that moment of escape, Yoyo dashed the fastest he could away from the creature. Gripping on to the spray can, he made a sharp turn into an ally, hoping he had lost the monster. He could hear its claws clicking against the sidewalk, its paced breath from running, and his nose trying to sniff Yoyo out. "I'm dead…I'm dead…I'm so dead…" Yoyo chanted over and over in his head.

The monster quickly passed for some reason, right past Yoyo's hiding spot. Yoyo stuck his head out to see if it had totally gone, but the creature saw him. Yoyo sped out and in zigzagged motions, trying his best to lose this stalker. He jumped on a rail as soon as he got near one and grinded along the side of the steps in Shibuya. Jumping off and landing on a bus terminal roof, he leaned over and heaved. This was becoming too much to handle.

He had dealt with things before. Gang fights, going against cops, you name it, but he never had to face something that he had only seen in movies and dreams. "I don't know how to beat this thing…" he breathed, wiping his mouth. Not knowing how to defeat this thing scared him and being alone made it worse. He inched to the side of the roof. He was sure he was going to throw up sooner or later.

Off the reflection of his shades, he saw a dim shadow pass behind him. He wasn't sure how to beat this animal, but he could at least blind it somehow. The creature lunged at him, but Yoyo pulled away just before it touched him. Hanging off the side of the roof, Yoyo was now able to see its face in pure moonlight. It was an extremely large wolf. And a very angry one at that. Yoyo skated backwards, being in shock, and tripped over one of the paneling rails. The monster flipped himself over and stood on its hind legs again, smacking the spray can out of Yoyo's hand.

It growled, revealing it's pointed, life threatening teeth at Yoyo. The boy soon felt his wrist snap as the creature lifted him by his arm and threw him off the roof, soon being followed by the thing itself. After a few minutes, Yoyo couldn't remember where he was or who he was. Only that he was filled with pain and some large dog was racing away. Then all went dark.

* * *

Author's Note: Here, to hold you off. I didn't realize this chapter is very short compared to the others, but whatever. I like it. And it's a short base for the rest of the story. Enjoy! 


	4. Split in Two

**Split in Two**

"Where did this happen?"

"Near Shibuya Terminal…"

"And you found him this way?"

"Yes."

"You didn't…"

"No! We're not capable of that yet."

"Guys! Shhh! I think he's coming around."

Yoyo weakly opened his hand from the fist he was clenching. His wrist pained him terribly and his head was throbbing so hard he could make out his heartbeat. From what he felt, he realized he was on a bed. But he couldn't recognize the voices and there was a scent of a medical aroma filling the air.

Slowly opening his eyes, a bright light blew into his vision, making him moan. "Lower the light!" ordered an older male's voice. The light was dimmed and Yoyo was able to see clearly as best he could. He stared at the ceiling for a moment, "Where am I?"

"We can't tell you…"

"We're in the outskirts of Hikage Street."

"_Ahem_!"

"Well, he needs to know!"

Yoyo blinked a bit and weakly scrunched his face, "Where's that again?"

"He took a hard blow to the head. He probably has some temporary amnesia." answered a younger male's voice. "Are you sure it will be temporary?" asked a worried girl.

"Pretty sure. Hey, you." the speaker addressed, poking Yoyo in the arm. The boy stayed staring at the ceiling, "Yeah?"

"What's the last thing you remember?"

"A dog…"

"A dog?"

"Yeah…a really big one…he was mad at me…I think I forgot to feed him…" he trailed off, closing his eyes. The oldest man in the room, dressed in old fashioned attire made of a black leather robe with an attached hood and matching boots, shook his head, "He will be fine young ones. Do not worry."

The girl shook her head negatively, "No, you don't understand! He lives with others! How are we going to explain-"

"When the time is right, child."

The two teens left the small one roomed cottage and sat outside against the wall. "Ohhhh…" sighed the girl, resting her head in her arms that were against her knees. "Don't blame yourself. It's his fault he's in this mess. He shouldn't have followed us." coaxed her brother, patting her shoulder. "Everyone takes their own blame, but you know I hate when outsiders get pulled into this. Especially when we led them into it!" she responded.

"We did _not_ lead him into this! He led himself. For being nosy, that's what he gets. And now, his mistake is going to cost him a lifetime."

"Sometimes I wonder if you actually have a heart, Jammer. You could come out with some really cruel virtues." his sister confronted stiffly.

"No one said the truth would be a good thing. I learned that when I made the same mistake."

Candy sighed, "I know…"

&&&

Yoyo opened his eyes. He remembered opening them before in this same room, but he couldn't remember if he spoke or not and to whom. His surroundings were plain, a bed in white sheets which he was laying on, a desk at the end of the long room and a refrigerator next to it. A light blue counter with a sink and cabinet under it at the head of the bed and a large, brown, mirror-less dresser that could fit double the size of Yoyo on the opposite wall of the bed. The odd fact of it all was that the bed was facing the door and not the room.

A bit more came back to Yoyo. He _had_ talked with someone. He had asked where he was. "The outskirts of Hikage Street…" His eyes widened, "That _thing_! Jam! Candy!" Yoyo went to rub his head and froze. His hands…they no longer had fingernails. Instead, they were a bit longer and became points at the end as claws. "WHAT!" he screamed as he kicked away the covers, revealing his clawed feet as well.

He jumped off the bed and frantically searched for a mirror, or _anything_ that could give a reflection. He took a rag from the desk and clogged the sink, turning it on. After a while, he turned it off and let the water settle. His eyes grew double their size and his mouth dropped open in horror. His ears were pointed and his canine teeth were now actual canine teeth, pointed at the sides of his mouth. His eyes were glowing with silver lining, reflecting the image of a monster.

He smacked the water and screamed angrily, having a sudden urge to rip the room apart. "NO!" He looked around for his skates, but failed. He would have to leave without them. "I have to get home…they'll know what to do…someone always does…" he said quickly in a crazed moment of desperation, staring at his quivering hands while he pulled open the door and faced three people.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

"We heard your scream." said Candy quietly. "I have to get out of here!" he shouted, pushing through. "And go where?" asked Jam, crossing his arms. "Not everyone is going to exactly accept you, now are they?"

Yoyo pulled his hair, "I don't know what's happening to me, but I'm gonna stop it! This is crazy, yo!" He started in a run, becoming faster and faster until he was faster than a speeding car.

Candy glared at Jam who shrugged, "He'll come back." The old man behind them pushed his shoulder slightly, "Go find him before he hurts himself even more." He handed Candy a small tranquilizer dart, "You'll be needing this." Candy dropped on fours and began to follow Yoyo's tracks. "And don't let him get back to his home." he warned Jam. The boy rolled his eyes before jetting off too.

Yoyo ran blindly into obstacles, tears almost forming in his eyes. "What's going on! Why am I so fast and feel all strange!" he cried, charging ahead even more. He reached Shibuya Terminal, where one man was waiting for a bus. He looked at Yoyo and screamed, dropping his suitcase and running for his life. Something was charging at him and he wasn't going to stay around to see what happened next. This caused more chaos from others who started work extremely early. Screams were heard in the streets of a monster, a creature, no one realizing it was one of the GG members.

Not too far off, another member had stopped to buy some groceries after finding out there wasn't any more cake mix or eggs. "Boys eat like they're starving…" she sighed with a giggle, carrying the brown bag. She stared around as people ran past, screaming for their lives. "What's going on?" she asked a woman who had paused to pick up her child. "RUN!" she cried, running away.

The girl placed the bag down and traveled in the opposite direction everyone else was running. Her interest had gotten the best of her. She saw where the street was most empty and did her best to see what it was. All she could see was someone sitting on the ground with their hands pulling on their head, and it was growling in fury.

"No…This can't be happening…I can't be…"

Growls filled the air while pedestrians scrambled out of the way. "Yoyo!" called out Candy, seeing him folded on the ground. "We can't be here! Look what you're doing! We're not supposed to be seen this way!"

"I need to go home!"

"You can't go home!"

"Why!"

"We'll explain when we go back. C'mon!"

"I'm not going!"

"Yoyo!"

"NO!"

Candy kneeled down and sighed, "I'm sorry." she said, pulling out a dart and stabbing him in the side. He muttered a few things and fell over unconsciously. Jam scurried over and lifted him, "About time. You actually thought he was gonna come voluntarily!" "He's scared, cut him some slack!" she threw back, heading off from where they came. Jam sighed and followed, carrying the limp body with him.

A few feet off, Rhyth watched as human looking, half animals dragged off someone. She couldn't tell who it was, but he looked dead. Rhyth rubbed her eyes as she realized these things had tails. "What _is_ going on!" she whispered.

&&&

Everything was gray. His wrist hurt. His gums hurt. His muscles hurt. Everything hurt. Where ever he was, there was no mercy. He could hear a puppy somewhere off in the distance. Its cry was painful, pitiful, as if the owner had smacked it with a rolled up paper. Suddenly, the gray changed to a red and the sound went away. Yoyo tried to look at his hands again, but there was no body. It was as if he was only a pair of eyes. He saw Chuo Street torn up in destruction. The grounds were decorated with blood and bodies all over.

Not anyone he knew, but it was still a saddening sight. The sky was red. Then, shadow creatures filled it. Hundreds, thousands of them, all flying to where Yoyo was. They were about to land…

The room was spinning and his head was pounding again. Never ending pain filled his arm. He tried to move around, but he was tied down to a chair. The ropes were cutting into his chest, forcing him to gasp for air as soon as he had woken up. He wasn't in the room he had been resting in anymore. The side of his ribs hurt. Candy was talking to him…she was apologizing for something and then he had passed out.

Yoyo took a deep breath and looked around the room. This one only had the chair he was sitting on and a desk not too far off in a corner. A single light hanging from the ceiling was the only thing that lit the room, and it was off. There was one window to his right and a door in front of him. Yoyo yawned, but the ropes cut him off.

The pain in his wrist was becoming too much to bear, so he put his teeth to use. He was on the third layer of the ropes when the door opened slightly and a pair of silver eyes peeked in. The boy glared at the door, not caring who it was. "Ah, so you're finally awake. You are some trouble to deal with; you do know that, don't you?" asked a raspy voice. The door opened all the way, exposing the old man who had watched over Yoyo before.

He walked in steadily, with a slight limp on his left leg. His cane clicked against the floor, the only noise in the room besides Yoyo's limited breathing. "Who are you?" asked Yoyo, with his teeth clenched. "Do not stress yourself. You'll only make your condition worse." replied the old man, "I am the elder of this pack."

"You're the what of what?"

"I am the elder. The oldest one in my pack. Therefore, I'm taken to make the wisest decisions."

Yoyo glared at him, "Yeah, tying me up is really _wise_." The old man didn't reply to his comment. "Let me out of here!" yelled Yoyo, moving back and forth in the chair, causing a screech against the wooden floor. "You cannot be released until you agree not to head back to your home." the old man said quietly.

"Dude, you gotta be off your nut if you think I ain't gonna go back to the garage!"

"This isn't a permanent act, young one. You will go home, but first you must stay here a few days to learn certain things."

"A few _days_?"

"Some have stayed weeks, months, years…"

"I'll take the days…" Yoyo responded weakly. The old man bowed, "You have made a wise choice." He walked over to where the boy was and began to untie the ropes. Yoyo jumped up and was about to head to the door when Jam and Candy blocked him. His pointed ears drooped a little, "Damn…"

"It would not be wise to trust a stranger's words entirely." commented the elder. "Look old man, I just wanna get back home and get rid of these problems, okay?" fumed Yoyo. Candy shook her head. "The gang can't get rid of these problems for you, Yoyo."

He glanced at her, "Yeah, staying here is gonna make them whoosh away, right?"

Jam crossed his arms and leaned on the doorway, "Actually, you're stuck with this for the rest of your life. There's no cure." Yoyo stared at him dumbfounded, "Say _what_?" Candy took his arm and motioned for him to follow. She led him around houses, through alleyways, and near a large lake. "Where are we?" he whispered, watching passing shadows fly by him. "This is one of the many meetings we have. But this one is going to be a bit different." answered Jam, who had followed.

Suddenly, a bunch of large dogs in random colors of grays, whites, blacks, and browns surrounded them. Yoyo backed into Candy, "And you brought me here, _why_!"

"You should get to know the pack."

Yoyo gave her a funny look. That was the same thing the old man was talking about. "Friends, family, and pups, tonight is going to be a very different night then what was going to be scheduled. It may be off a little, but you all know we must welcome a new face when brought in." Yoyo spun around and noticed the old man was in the center of a round circle these animals had made and he was directing the welcome to him.

"Come here boy." the old man called, pointing to him. Jam gave Yoyo a push, making him stumble a bit, but he made his way to the middle. He gave the old man a watchful eye, wondering what was going to happen. "This is Yoyo, the newest addition to our pack!" In reply, all the creatures surrounding them stood on their back legs and let out a deafening cry.

Yoyo glanced at the elder, "Is that a good thing?" The elder smiled, "Listen closely. You will hear with your heart." Yoyo's expression went grim. Nothing was going to get better than this. Yoyo's ears twitched, he heard his name being called within all the howling. "That was weird, yo." he muttered, shaking his head.

Seeing Yoyo's expression, the elder smiled. One of the creatures went back on all fours after all the howling was over and closed its eyes. Yoyo arched an eyebrow, wondering if it was going to jump him. The creature began to shrink, losing its fur and its teeth were also becoming smaller. Small enough to fit in a human mouth. It soon shook and lifted its head. "I'm sure that was strange for you, but we do the best we can."

Yoyo stared as a young teenage girl stood up, her animalistic features none more exaggerated than his. Her long black hair was layered with devil red streaks, matching her blood red blouse that seemed a little ripped, but that was the style. She wore a black skirt with a silver chain around as a belt. Extending a hand, she smiled, "I'm Blaze. I speak on behalf of the pack when I say we're glad to have you on our side."

Yoyo quickly closed his jaw drop and took her hand, grinning shyly. "Now that introductions are out of the way, we can get started." nodded the elder. "On what?" asked Yoyo, turning to him. Having no clue what was going on, he had the right to ask. "Well…I think you should have an elaboration of the situation, as one might put it." the elder told him, "You two are excused from this meeting, but be sure to get the news of what is to happen in the world to come." he said, pointing to Jam and Candy.

They both nodded and dragged Yoyo out of the crowd and back to the first house he had started out in. Jam turned on the light and sat on the chair, "Thought I'd never get out of one of those again."

Yoyo sat on the bed, daring himself to look at his hands. Sighing, he glimpsed up at Jam, "So…what am I?" The boy looked at him uncertainly, "You've had weird animal changes and you still don't know what you're turning into?" Yoyo stared at the dresser and said nothing. Candy smacked her brother's arm and shook her head, "Well, don't leave him hanging!"

"Dude, you've got wolf blood travelin' in ya now."

Yoyo blinked and stayed silent. Wolf blood…he was now a monster? One of the creatures that had attacked him? He winced as he realized his wrist was still hurt. He rubbed it and looked to the floor, head hanging. "Are you hurt?" asked Candy, taking a step towards him. "My wrist." Yoyo answered, rubbing it still.

Candy was about to speak when Jam broke in, "Center yourself and try to push the pain away." Yoyo looked at him confused, "What?"

"Just do it."

Yoyo had never centered himself before, whatever that was. Maybe it was like meditation he had seen on TV once. Something about centering yourself…He took a deep breath and stretched his hand out, the searing pain filling his arm. Yoyo bit his lip as the pain reached his elbow, but he concentrated, having no clue he was healing himself.

After a moment, the pain was gone, and the swelling was going down. He smiled, "Hey, whatever I did, it worked!" Candy also smiled, but Jam smirked, "You actually did it. I thought you'd just hurt yourself some mo-Ow!" Candy looked at him grimly as he rubbed his arm where she had pinched him.

"Now, can I get a heads up on why I can't go home?" whined Yoyo, scratching his head. Candy and Jam exchanged looks. This was going to be a long story. Jam breathed out, "Well…it starts like this…"

* * *

**Author's Note**: _The elder is kind of the father figure here, if you haven't notice already. Also the leader, and who is really Blaze? Hmmm….and the history of it all? You'll have to wait to find out._


	5. What We're Meant To Do

**What You're Meant To Do**

Moonlight covered the entire cottage as an explanation was given to Yoyo. "You're a werewolf. One of us. No longer basic human." said Jam, his voice echoing in the hollow darkness. "Right now, you're in a stage we call 'first born'. You can't change into a full blown wolf yet, but you still have some advantages that a werewolf has." continued Candy.

"We can't let you go back to the garage yet because you might hurt someone unintentionally."

Yoyo's eyes widened a bit, "How?" "You might get angry over any little thing, you might change in your sleep, or worse, someone might see you and expose your secret." answered Jam. "I can't tell anyone!" stuttered Yoyo, getting up, "But they gotta know! If something happens because of me…"

They both shook their heads, "That's why we stick together and out of the public as much as we can."

"But that's not fair!" cried Yoyo, grinding his teeth, "I don't wanna be like you guys! I wanna wake up from this nightmare!" Candy sat him back down on the bed, "Yoyo, you need to stay calm. That's number one on the list of preparations for you." Yoyo crossed his arms and leaned back on wall, snorting. "Don't worry, everyone goes through the _puppy_ stage." grinned Jam, his canine teeth shining in the light.

"And wait till you learn how to fight a vampire!" smiled Candy, becoming excited all of a sudden. "Vampire!" winced Yoyo, sitting up.

&&&

The garage was beaming with noise as usual. Everyone was generated and ready to fill any task asked. But a few were still lazing about, enjoying their last few moments of rest. Potts pawed at his bowl hungrily. He hadn't been fed since morning. Trotting over to the nearest human, he began to bark. The tough, redheaded, goggled teen glanced down at the dog and sighed, "YOYO! Feed Potts!"

There was no respond to the yell. Beat looked around, "Yoyo!" From the couch, he could see most of the garage, and there was no Yoyo in sight. Beat clomped down the steps and to the kitchen, where Corn was. He usually knew where everyone was. "Hey Corn, where's Yoyo? He hasn't fed Potts."

Corn glanced up from the soda he was opening, "Yoyo? I haven't seen him since those two kids came by. I think he was with Tab or something." Beat sighed and skated over to Tab, who was occupied with his labtop as usual. He was either on the computer or skating. He loved both and it didn't matter which came first. "Tab, where's Yoyo?"

Tab looked up, "He left a while ago." Beat shrugged, "Where to?" The young boy typed a few things on his computer, "Something about figuring something out." Beat's expression went grim, "Yeah, thanks for the big clues." Tab gave Beat the serious stare that he and his brother shared. "Well you asked and I told what I could."

Beat rolled his eyes, unable for anyone to see due to his large, tinted goggles. "He left from the Shibuya Terminal exit." muttered Tab quietly. Beat smirked, "Thank you, _Tab_."

Tab returned the smile, "Being vague confuses _you_, of all people." Beat rolled his eyes again went to complete Yoyo's chore.

&&&

"_This is DJ Professor K, the amazing DJ prodigy of this millennium, bringing you Jet Set Radio Future!_" announced Professor K. "_Now I have an announcement for all who are listenin' and those who are tappin' in. We have a little update from the GGs that Yoyo has gone missing **again**! Now since the streets haven't had much trouble, where could he have gone? Word is there are two unfamiliar rudies skating around Tokyo. Names are Candy and Jam. Could they have anything to do with Yoyo's disappearance, or is someone out looking for attention? If there's any word out, please report it!_"

Yoyo hung his head as the announcement played on his watch. Guilt was one of the last things he wanted to feel right now. His gang was worried about him and now they were after Jam and Candy. Since the two had wrist watches, he was sure they had heard the broadcast, too. Yoyo turned the radio off on his watch and got off the bed.

As soon as his feet touched the floor, his door opened and Jam entered in with a dark look across his face. "I know you heard that." he said to Yoyo, slumping on the chair. "Look, this might delay when you can go back to that garage."

Yoyo stared at him, "What? Why!" "Because if we send you back when you're not ready, you might blow your cover and that won't be a good thing." answered Jam. "Why do we need to be so secretive, yo?" hissed Yoyo, his fingers curling into fists. "_Because_ we don't want to be seen. If we're seen, it destroys everything we've been trying to do!" growled Jam, his eyes becoming dark silver. "And what exactly are we trying to do!" Yoyo pushed on.

"Annihilate the vampires permanently." Jam said in a shady tone, shaking Yoyo a little. "That's why we have all these meetings. We know the vampires are in Tokyo somewhere, but their exact location is still unidentifiable. The closest we've come to is here, around these streets and districts. The story goes if we were to ever break the chain of the living dead permanently, we would be broken from our curse as reward." he finished with a smile.

"But until then, you need to learn how to control yourself, which is why I'm here. First thing's first, you gotta learn how to change back to human from the way you look now."

Yoyo blinked, "I can do that? But I thought only when the moon…" Jam smirked, "Yeah, yeah, in movies. We can be our maximum selves when the moon is full. But we can change like this," he pointed to himself, ", whenever we want. Even the tails." Yoyo looked behind himself, "I don't have one." Jam nodded, "You just got bitten yesterday. Everything comes in a matter of time."

Yoyo sighed hopelessly and leaned on the fridge roughly, making it slide to one side of the room. He stared as it knocked over the desk and papers that were on it. The fridge, itself, fell over with a crash. Jam slowly looked from the mess to Yoyo, "Note to self, teach Yoyo how to control strength…"

&&&

A large crowd gathered around Tab for the fiftieth time, asking him questions of if he was sure Yoyo had left through the Dogenzaka Hill exit. "YES!" he yelled, fuming. He had been trying to repair his broken skate, but with everyone crowding him, it was hard to concentrate. "Tab, we're only asking because we're worried about Yoyo." Rhyth told him gently with a timid smile.

"I know. And I've answered the same answer to the same question for about the hundredth time already!"

"It's in the fifties." answered Soda casually, as he always did. Tab gave him a cold glare and went back to his work, but gave up when Beat asked "Are you sure?"

Tab threw down his tools and put his skate on irritably, with a grim expression on his face. From somewhere in the garage, Roboy called out that he wasn't going to pick up whatever was dropped, even though no one had addressed him. He had a tendency to yell odd things when no one was directing a suggestion or idea at him.

Tab stood up and shook his head as he headed over to the closest entryway. "Where are you going?" asked Boogie, arching her body to the side.

"To find Yoyo…" he said bitterly.

&&&

The morning sunshine filled a small section of the room, since there was only one window in the entire establishment. A young teenager reached over and scratched his head, yawning at the same time. He slowly opened his eyes and sat up, looking around the room grimly, remembering why he was there. The night before was the biggest change of his life. And there was a ninety-nine percent chance that it was permanent.

While thinking over how he was going to keep this large affect in his life a secret, there was a light knock on the door. "It's Blaze."

Yoyo squinted, "Blaze…Blaze…" he repeated over and over, trying to match a face with the name. The door slowly cracked open, revealing a calm, smiling face. Yoyo blinked and grinned, "Oh…right!" The girl nodded and entered in, carrying a folded note. "This is from the elder," she told him, ", he probably wants to talk with you."

As she walked out, Yoyo's grin grew, "This place ain't as bad as I'm thinkin' it is." He opened the note that was half folded. The writing was that of old fashion curvature.

"Rise Early To The Grounds."

Yoyo stuffed the note in his pocket and rubbed his eyes. He glanced around and noticed that his sunglasses were on the table he had knocked down the night before.

He lifted the fridge and the desk, picking up a few papers along the way. After all, it wasn't his room. He banged his foot against the leg of the desk and cursed. He wasn't used to being barefoot. Rubbing his foot, he realized that his claws were regular toes now. He stretched them out and smiled. "I changed back! …somehow…"

He hadn't really paid attention to Jam. Who wanted to listen to someone who obviously had a problem with him? Or was that the way Jam always was? Whatever caused him to be that way, the happiness came out in his sister. "Maybe they do that share brainwaves thing?" wondered Yoyo.

He looked around for his skates. Having no luck, he guessed they were probably confiscated "for his own good."

Sighing, he opened the door and winced as the morning light broke his vision. He didn't see anyone while he walked around, assuming that everyone had gone home because they knew how to control themselves.

"We stick together…" Jam had told him.

Yoyo threw his first thought out. After twenty minutes of searching for the old man, he gave up and sat on the ground, staring out. He noticed that not too far off was a bay, the water streaming peacefully along on its way with the sunlight dancing off the small waves. The weather was tranquil, with a slight breeze that cooled him off as he got comfortable in his spot. He took a deep breath and took in the view. Everything seemed much brighter and livelier. So filled with life.

"I see you've learned the first step."

Yoyo jumped out of his happy meditation and stared at the old man who was standing behind him. "You are _late_."

Yoyo rubbed his head, "Oh…I couldn't find you. I didn't know where you were…yo…"

"I am where the winds flow and grounds are early to rise."

Yoyo looked at the man with a problem solving look and smile, "Hey! That's what you wrote on your paper! Or something like it."

The elder put a hand on Yoyo's shoulder as the boy stood up, "You will wake at sunrise every morning and train from then until meals." Yoyo stared at him, "You're kiddin, right?" "No, he's not. And I've got the bags under my eyes to prove it." a voice muttered. Yoyo turned as Jam sluggishly dragged himself to their location.

"You will train with Jammer." announced the elder. Yoyo glanced at Jam, "Train for what?" The two looked at the elder as his back was turned to them, out to the sun.

"You will practice your strengths and speeds. I have seen that emotion drives your speed, Yoyo."

Yoyo shrugged and kicked at the dirt. "Most of us are not sure of our capabilities until they are put to the test. Even the ones who have been with us for a while." answered the old man, throwing a quick glance at Jam who wasn't paying attention. Suddenly the old man's fangs grew out and he lunged at Jam. Moving to the side as if was a natural reflex, Jam cracked his knuckles.

The old man stood up and looked at Yoyo who was staring. "It took him many months before he could do that." answered the elder. Yoyo's stare went to Jam, "How long you've been stuck as this?" Jam threw Yoyo a cold look, "Long enough."

"Time is departuring young ones. Remember the value of life, for it cannot be regained."

Jam rolled his eyes as the elder lectured. "Are we gonna get started or what? I could be _sleeping_ you know."

"Is this guy ever _not_ complaining?" wondered Yoyo, sighing at the remark. "First is the step of chivalry." the old man said quietly. Jam quickly morphed into as much wolf-like characteristics as possible, leaving Yoyo confused. He glanced at the old man, "Uhhh…"

The elder took a deep breath, "Jam, did you not teach him?" Jam crossed his arms, "Not my fault he can't learn." Yoyo lifted a finger questioningly, "What's chivalry?" The two turned to him. "It's when you let the other get ready if they're not. That way, no one's thrown off. This is only practiced in training." answered Jam, as if reciting from a text book.

"Oh. So…what are we fighting with?"

The old man sighed as he looked to the ground and Jam smiled, "This is gonna be fun…"

"You fight with what you have." said the elder, pointing at Yoyo.

"But I don't have anything, yo."

"You have strength, determination, and speed. Soon you will also have the will to control."

"Control what? I haven't done anything!" sighed Yoyo, watching his fingers stretch into points. "But you might." continued Jam, seeing that Yoyo's ears were pulling up. "No, I won't!" Yoyo defended, shaking his head.

"You can't say until you're sure!"

"I know I'm sure!"

"You can't be sure. You don't even know how to change."

"SHUT UP!" snarled Yoyo, his voice echoing in the emptiness. His breathing became unleveled and his anger grew. His claws curled into fists as he glared at Jam. He was new to all of this. Not like Jam, who had been that way for who knows how long. He could've been born that way for all Yoyo knew. A slow smirk grew on Jam's face, "It starts."

Yoyo couldn't take it anymore. Something had consumed him totally, and he had no control over it. He lunged at Jam, fury burning within him. Jam quickly ducked, but he wasn't used to practicing with this kind of speed. Obviously, Yoyo was excellent in agility. Yoyo swiped a quick punch at Jam, leaving five long rips in his shirt. A growl leaked out of Jam's throat as he dived for Yoyo, now this was personal.

Light footsteps neared the battle scene to see how everything was going. "Wow! Yoyo's getting good at this fighting stuff and Jam's pretty good at helping him out!" smiled Candy, happy that everything was working out okay. "Yes, they are both gaining great experience. If only I had told them to start…" replied the elder, watching as the dust around them flew in the air as they sped around, trying to throw each other down. Now only beastly yelps and snarls were heard, leaving the one of the two spectators awed. "You mean…they're actually fighting? Why are you just leaving them! Stop this!" yelled Candy over the cries.

"This is the point of the practicing. They will do this anyway. No point in disturbing what is to happen."

"This is ridiculous!" she stormed, about to head over to the two. The elder placed his hand firmly on her shoulder, "No, leave them. They also must learn a lesson from this." Candy glanced at him hopelessly, "Yeah, and what's that? One who tears up the most is the winner?" The elder shook his head, "Two must be one in order to win the whole."

Candy sat on the ground, hoping that the worst would pass. Soon enough, the screams and growls stopped, and the dust settled, revealing the two. Yoyo was walking around dizzily like a drunken man and Jam was crouched on fours, taking deep breaths. Both were badly beaten, but living. Scratches, cuts, forming bruises, and bite marks were seen on both of them. Jam closed his eyes, concentrating on healing himself. It took some time to heal one's self.

Yoyo finally collapsed to the ground and closed his eyes. The elder walked over to him and his shadow covered Yoyo. "I'm all dizzy…and the world is spinning…" Yoyo muttered, rubbing his eyes. "That is what happens when you cannot control yourself. Now, Jam was able to protect himself, but you see, if you were back at your home, you would have likely killed someone." the old man said.

Yoyo held his head up a bit to see where Jam was. Jam still had his eyes closed, but Yoyo could see he had messed him up pretty bad. "You see, you must learn to let the man command the beast." instructed the elder. "_Ahem_!" addressed Candy, crossing her arms with attitude. "Or woman." added the elder, "Now come, you need to do a little running." Yoyo nodded and stood up as the wooziness quickly went away as his anger fled. Jam watched him leave with a serious expression. If they didn't train Yoyo soon, he could be dangerous. To anyone.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _Hey guys, I've been kinda depressed lately, so sorry for the wait. I love how I wrote this one, that anger drives his transformation. It just sounds kinda cute. May be short, but I think it's a good addition to the story. Review all!_


	6. Secret Revealed

**Secret Revealed **

The sky was clear and the clouds floated by, having nothing else to do. There was no other purpose for them. They led on a young teenager, trying to find his friend. "Yoyo!" rang out through the streets, disturbing passerby as they wished for normality in the streets, but knew they would never have it.

The boy sighed. Sometimes he couldn't understand the gang. If there was a missing person with nothing happening in street life, why not send out a search? Actually it would be his brother's call, but he never understood Corn. Well, for certain things, yes. Tab had spent his whole morning looking for Yoyo.

"Well…he's not in Dogenzaka Hill…that's for sure…" moaned Tab, shading his eyes from the sun with his hat. "He's probably somewhere in Shibuya…" he said grimly. It was only _just_ noon, but since he was doing this himself while everyone else was waiting anxiously by the radio, it took a lot more out of him.

"I'm gonna kill him…" Tab growled, skating to Shibuya Terminal. The streets were busy, filled with traffic and people rushing back to their jobs from eating lunch. Tab was getting hungry, but he wanted to get this over with. Rhyth was getting worried and he knew she was going to irritate everyone about both he and Yoyo. "If nothing's going on…what the heck is going on with Yoyo?" Tab wondered, shaking his head.

He knew Yoyo could be careless, forgetful, and lazy, but never heartless. Wouldn't he have learned from his last "going missing" experience? Everyone was glad he was back, but they soon nagged and scolded him, telling him the key was to work together as a gang. That was the point of the gang. They couldn't watch his back if they didn't know where he was.

A loud, earsplitting honk burst through Tab's eardrum and rattled his brain, causing him to jump. He turned coldly to the car that almost hit him and gave the driver the finger. "Asshole…" The hectic area wasn't the place to be, especially in the afternoon.

&&&

A large platter was dropped in front of Yoyo. He glanced at it and took a whiff. Whatever it was, it _couldn't_ be edible. This had cleared his sinuses and made his eyes water with one sniff. "Enjoy." muttered the older woman who gave it to him. Candy and Jam were munching away and the elder was eating some mush that was green with pink dots all around. Yoyo drank some water and pushed his plate away, "No thanks…"

"You're not hungry?" asked the elder, looking up. "Waited too long to eat, I'll get nauseous." Yoyo lied, standing up. Jam pulled him back down, "Take a bite, looks are deceiving."

"If you expect me to eat that…"

"Just try it. Don't make it an issue."

Yoyo didn't want to, but he knew if he didn't, Jam would persist, therefore causing Yoyo's fury to unleash. No need for another replay. He looked around, "Where's the fork?" Jam glanced up, "Are none." Yoyo sighed and stuck his finger into the glob, soon tasting it. It actually tasted good. The taste was similar to that of oatmeal with cinnamon, but sweeter.

"Alright, you got me this time…" he smiled, eating his meal. Yoyo suddenly remembered something he had been meaning to ask. "Uh…what do you guys look like when you're total wolf?"

Candy looked at him curiously, "You've seen what we all look like." Yoyo shook his head, "No, I mean, _you_ two." Candy glanced down and said nothing. Jam glanced up at Yoyo, "We can't do that yet…" Yoyo blinked, "Oh, okay. Is that a bad thing?"

"It's been five years since we've become this and others have been here only months and they can change like that." explained Candy. "Even werewolves have competition…" grinned Yoyo, licking his fingers. "Well…to keep up with _Blaze_…" muttered Candy grimly. "What's bad about Blaze?" Yoyo asked.

Candy stared at him and blushed, "Oh…I um, well…" Jam shook his head, "They've never gotten along. It's a girl thing." There was a light chuckle as Yoyo realized his plate was empty, "Yeah, I know those arguments…So, what are you fighting over?" Candy crossed her arms, "Basically everything."

"Watch out, they'll fight for your friendship." whispered Jam with a smirk. Yoyo smiled, but it faded as his mind remembered his intended answer. "Do you guys know who attacked me?"

Candy choked on her drink and Jam looked up at Yoyo. "Who attacked you?" he repeated weakly. "Yeah, the one who bit me and made me this way." Yoyo answered grimly. The twins glanced at each other, "We don't know…" Yoyo watched them both. They seemed very uncomfortable answering this question. What were they hiding?

"I'd like to know sometime, yo."

Candy picked up her plate, "I'm done…" Jam followed, "Yeah… me too…" Yoyo was being cheated out of his answer. Growling, he turned to the elder. "What's the big secret?" The elder shook his head, "All in good time, young one."

"Yeah, and I think this is a good time! How come nobody answers me when I wanna be answered! What's wrong with you people!" he fumed, storming out of the place. He needed a place where he could be alone for a while. Somewhere where these wolves wouldn't hunt him down for going out somewhere. He glanced up. The roof would have to do. He looked at his hand and thought about the claws that would come and go whenever. Points suddenly edged at his fingers and he smiled, "Whoa…"

He centered his focus on them, but not too much, and they quickly shrank back into fingers. "Sweet! I'm gettin' the hang of this…" He grabbed onto a brick to see if he could grab hold. He could, so he climbed up easily to the roof. Since they were only one story 'houses' with flat roofs, Yoyo could simply jump from roof to roof. He sat on one of the roofs as soon as he was done with jumping. His normal jumping was now as if he was wearing his skates. He could also jump farther.

Down below, in one of the alleyways between the houses, two children wrestled each other playfully. Yoyo watched as they played tag and other childish games that seemed tempting, even to a sixteen year old. It brought back memories of when he was younger, so innocent and carefree. He was still carefree, but of everything and not so innocent, especially if you're running from the law.

Yoyo blinked and grinned. He'd love to see Hayashi try and catch him now. He wouldn't even need a spray can to tear _him_ apart. Shaking his head of the negative thought, Yoyo sighed. He couldn't expose himself that way, or hurt anyone that way either. The playful giggling and teasing of the young children soon changed into an argument of growling and cries. Yoyo stared as the two innocent looking children morphed into their animalistic selves and started fighting.

He took a deep breath and stared out. He would never get used to this life. A cold wind blew his way, chasing off the noisy pups and alarming Yoyo. He could feel a bad premonition, but he didn't know why.

&&&

The sun sank into the center of the earth as darkness consumed all of Tokyo, allowing shadows to dance merrily in their territory. Soft winds blew gently while those who came late from work made their way into the streets, trying to flag a cab or using their own cars to get home. Hungry and tired, Tab leaned against the cool brick wall of a random building, gaining some energy lost from searching all day without eating.

He glanced around. He knew he made some turn around Shibuya and then in Hikage Street, but where was he now? Nothing seemed familiar and Tab was used to seeing everything. "Great, now I'm lost…" he sighed, lifting his hat a bit. "Where am I?" There were empty alleyways all around and one floor houses, which was strange because most of the places around Tokyo were large buildings.

He skated around, clueless of where he was and he couldn't seem to find anyone. This area was empty of people. Only shadows lived in this district and they followed where he went. A sudden rush behind Tab make him swerve, losing a bit of balance. "What was that?" he wondered, checking behind him. As he continued on, his skates scratched louder than they would in Rokkaku Dai against the hard cement. This lonely area was only lit with dim yellow light posts that would flicker ever so often.

Tab shadow stretched as he watched around himself, not so sure if looking for Yoyo by himself was such a good idea. "Why would Yoyo be here anyway?" he muttered, taking a seat against one of the one floor houses. Taking a break felt so good and relaxing, not filling for his hunger, but it stopped some of his pain. Before he knew it, his eyes closed and he drifted into a deep sleep, unaware of anything around him.

&&&

The sleeping boy looked so peaceful from his stressed day. The pressure had drained him out, so could tell the watcher. He was trying to get comfortable in his sleep, but couldn't for some reason. He continually moved and scooted. He lost balance from his seating and slid to the side, eyes opening a bit. He wasn't expecting a pair of silvery eyes to stare at him from the darkness.

"AHH-"

"SHHH!"

Tab squinted in order for his eyes to grow accustomed to the darkness. "Candy!"

The girl smiled at him and nodded, "What are you doing all the way out here?" Her voice was filled with alarm and worry. Tab stood up slowly and dusted himself off. "I'm sorta looking for Yoyo. You seen him?"

Candy remained quiet, just watching as Tab quickly stopped moving. "Have you seen him?" he repeated, wondering what the pause was for. "Tab, this place is dangerous…" she started, her eyes still locked on him. "He went missing after you and Jam left." Tab continued, paying no mind to what she was saying. So what of this place was dangerous? Nothing could be more dangerous than what Tab faced everyday.

Candy grabbed his arm, "You need to leave, now!" Tab held his place. "Not until you tell me where Yoyo is!" he said hotly. "Everyone thinks you guys have something to do with him being gone."

"You don't understand, Tab. Go back to the garage, stay there. Yoyo…" she quickly stopped, but Tab caught that last bit. Crossing his arms, he snorted, "So, you _do_ know where he is…" A thump interrupted the conversation. Tab turned around and searched behind him, but nothing was there. Nothing he could see anyway. "What's _he_ doing here?" a voice called out to Candy.

"He's looking for Yoyo."

Out of the darkness came Jam, face solemn as if someone had been murdered and he had witnessed the event. His mouth was turned down more than a frown could ever go and his eyes were a dark silver, glaring out at his sister. His dark clothing had, once again, hid him from good view. One of his clenched fists lifted and extended a finger at Tab, "He's not supposed to be here."

"I know." answered his sister, as serious about the matter as he was. Tab, on the side, was utterly confused. "Why can't I be here? What's the big deal with me being here?" he said sternly, but in a quiet tone not wanting to break the stillness of it all. A howl somewhere cracked into the matter and Tab looked around bewilderedly.

A deep growl filled the large alleyway they were in and repeated off the walls. "Ok…now I see why this might not be the best place to be right now…" muttered Tab to himself. The bickering between the two siblings suddenly stopped. Tab looked at them, their faces stony and emotionless. "This is getting too weird…" he sighed, bumping into something as he backed up.

"Who are you?"

Tab looked up at the tall being. His icy grey eyes pierced through the night as his red shirt clashed with them. His dark green cargo shorts were a bit big on him, but they matched his gloves. He had dark brown, almost black, messy hair that had its own style to it without any effort.

"Uhh…Tab. And you are?"

The boy ignored the shorter one's question and looked up at the twins, "You know him?" They both nodded a nod of regret, but Tab glanced back and forth between them. Who was this guy and why did he need to know anything? "Does he know anything?" asked the newcomer.

"No." answered Jam, sure of himself, but the other didn't seem so exact on his answer. He looked at Candy, who remained quiet and watched the moon instead. "Spike, he hasn't done anything and he doesn't know. Let him go." she said out of the blue. Tab looked at her confused. It wasn't like the guy was having a hold on him or anything.

"You know we're not allowed to do that. Do you want to live?" hissed Spike, his grey eyes aglow. "This has nothing to do with living. It has to do with an innocent who's not involved." she replied, eyes not moved from the sky. "Actually…he is." sighed Jammer, quickly glancing at Tab. "I give up." Tab muttered, shaking his head. He had no idea what was going on and he was going to stop thinking about it.

"I trust him." Candy whispered, finally moving her view to Tab. "You have to take him back to the elder. It doesn't matter if _you_ trust him or not." remarked Spike with attitude. He turned and left without a sound. Tab arched an eyebrow, "I gotta go where?" Candy sighed and took his arm, "Tab…we have something to tell you. But not here. And we'll tell you where Yoyo is, too."

Tab followed them. This was what he came for anyway. Only, making an extra trip to get Yoyo wasn't the plan he had in mind. The walk seemed like forever, walking in and out of alleys and avoiding certain ones. He wondered as they passed another one why they would go through some and not others, but he guessed it led them faster to where ever they were going.

Eventually, they reached what seemed to be the center of these one floor homes. Across the center circle that was drawn out into the dirt was a beautiful sight of water, waving by in the shining moonlight. Another howl was heard and Tab smiled, "Dog problem, huh?" Jam stared at him, "_What?_"

Tab shrugged, "Well I guessed, 'cause there's a lot of howling around here." Candy and Jam exchanged glances. "Yeah, well that's something we're gonna talk about…" started Jam, but was interrupted.

"Tab?"

The boy turned around to see a familiar face approach him. "Yoyo! You've been here the whole time!"

Yoyo grinned and looked at the other two. Something was wrong with them. They were too…serious. "What's going on?" asked Tab, pointing at them. "They're acting all weird and this dude came up to us in the alley…" Yoyo sighed and looked at Tab. "Everyone thinks me going missing is their fault, huh?"

Tab glanced at the two, "Yeah…not my idea! That's why I'm here now! Everyone was bugging me so I said I wasn't coming back until I found you. It'd be the only way I'd get any rest." Yoyo cringed as Tab gave the explanation. "Tab…I've got a true story…that might seem a little weird."

Tab's expression went confused, "Please, no more confusing things. I've already had enough for today…"

"Tab…me…and them," Yoyo added, pointing at the twins, "And everyone here…"

Tab watched in awe as Yoyo's ears stretched out to animal like ones and his teeth grew to fangs. His fingers changed to claws and his toes did, too. "No…way…" murmured Tab in shock, backing away. The boy stared at the twins, realizing that they were also these dog-like creatures and that he was in danger. "It's okay, Tab. It's still us, we're not gonna hurt you or anything!" Candy said immediately.

Tab looked at her comforting expression, it letting him know they were still the normal people he knew, just trapped in these bodies. "Okay…so…" he stuttered, looking at Yoyo. "I can't go back yet…" Yoyo admitted, shrugging, "I'm still getting trained up on."

"Well…I sorta told the others I wasn't coming back unless I brought you with me…"

Candy smiled happily, "There's plenty of room here." Tab glanced at her and she lowered her voice, "Until you need to go." Jam turned to Tab, "But you need to stay hidden. Even here. You can't get bitten. You don't want to be, trust me." He turned, but aimed his comment at Tab, "There's more to tell and understand. C'mon."

They led Tab to the room where Yoyo had recovered in. It was still a mess, but a bit had been cleaned up. Tab smiled, "This your room, Yoyo?" Yoyo grinned, "Well, I did spend some time in here." The two laughed as Jam took the usual seat by the desk and Candy sat cross legged on the floor. Tab also sat on the floor and waited for Jam to speak. "Now that you know about us, there are few rules you _can't_ break." Jam announced seriously.

Candy took up next, "You can't tell anyone about us." Tab halfway nodded, "Whhhy not?" Candy looked at Jam who seemed to be getting tired of telling the same story over and over. "Well, now you see that werewolves are among the human kind, right?"

Tab leaned his back against the wall and shrugged, "I see it, but I can't believe it." Jam glared at him, "Start believing. It could be a life or death matter for you _and_ us." Tab stared at him, a bit shocked, but Candy threw her brother a dirty look. "Anyway…if werewolves are in the world, you can guess other creatures are in the world, too." she sighed sadly. Tab blinked in awe, "You guys are really fighting vampires!"

"How do you know that?" asked Yoyo, surprised. Tab looked at him, "Comics and TV, but I never knew the stuff they wrote was actually _real_."

"Humans aren't supposed to know we're real." muttered Jam, ear twitching. "But, some of our people started writing about the creatures just in case if anyone ever became one, they would know what to stay away from and who they would have to protect themselves from." continued Candy, moving her hand as she spoke. Tab nodded understandingly, "Makes sense. But, if you guys are going to be fighting off vampires, mainly, that means…" he slowly looked at Yoyo, "You're gonna be gone most of the time…"

Yoyo stared at the twins, "Hey, I never thought about that, yo!" Jam shook his head and waved his hand, "Don't worry, we only attack at night and meet towards the night or sunset. And it's not a lot of times that it's been done at sunset. We can only be our full wolf selves during a full moon, remember?"

"Right…" sighed Yoyo, "How are we gonna keep this a secret from the GGs?" Candy and Jam glanced at each other. "You guys are gonna hafta do your best to not let anyone know…"

"And you need to learn how to control yourself already." added Jam, eyeing Yoyo. "What's the story when we go back? They're not gonna exactly believe that you went on a few days for vacation." remarked Tab. Jam tapped his foot against the wood floor, making a soft padding sound. "We'll think of that later. We'll be coming with you, so don't worry."

"Coming with us! That's the worst thing you two could do!" started Tab, staring at them both. "The gang thinks the worst of everything is coming from you. They even made an announcement on Jet Set Radio!"

"Yeah, we heard it." nodded Yoyo, guiltily.

"Not good." replied Tab, standing up. "And they probably think I'm missing, too."

"Just forget about the gang right now. There's bigger things to deal with. You're not supposed to be here," Jam pointed to Tab, "he wasn't supposed to be the one to be bitten," he said pointing at Yoyo, "and I'm gettin' tired."

Yoyo listened closely as Jam accused them all. "Wait a minute, yo…" Jam's ears twitched a bit as his eyes grew wide, "What…?" Yoyo crossed his arms and glared at Jam and Candy, "What do you mean I'm not the one who was supposed to be bitten…?"

Tab turned to them also and waited for the answer. Candy sighed and Jam looked to the floor uncomfortably. "Orders were…that we had to bring another werewolf to pass in our pack." Tab's mouth dropped open as Yoyo fury built within him. "So you pick Yoyo, just like that?" Tab asked just above a whisper, staring at Candy. "Orders are orders." Jam said quietly, looking up. He no longer looked like his serious, bitter self. His eyes expressed sorrow as he felt deep responsibility for the happening.

"We didn't do it…but one of our pack did." said Candy, daring to look at Yoyo, who glared back. "So, you need a werewolf and you just send someone to hunt a guy down?" he stormed, fists clenched. "You know what hell you're putting me and my friends through!"

"A bit of pain and suffering. We've all gone through it. You get used to it, and it's for the best of everyone." Jam stated. "Really?" questioned Yoyo facing Jam directly, "Do _you_ like doing what you do? Do you get any benefit from this vampire killing thing you're all meant to do?" Jam gave him an empty stare, "I did."

Yoyo sat on the bed and stayed silent, glaring at the two. Jam stood up and left the room quietly, going his own way to get some time alone. Candy went to the door, her head hung sadly at an angle, heart crushed. Yoyo didn't consider neither she nor Jam as friends. And Tab was probably with him on that. She closed the door behind her and glared at the bright moon that was shining innocently and beautifully in the sky. Growling, she decided that she would find out who destroyed Yoyo's normal life. She took Yoyo and Tab as friends, and no matter what, she would help them out.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _Been busy, the whole deal and there's been a loss in the family so it adds up. Review!_


	7. The Rest of the Night

**The Rest of the Night**

Rapid stomps disturbed the usual hushed area near the lake. For being barefoot, Candy's tromps were pretty loud. The darkness over her face pulled her out of her normal character, but her determination showed more than ever. She made her way past the still lake and to one of the many cottages in that area. Inside it was quiet, but a light was on. She knocked on the door and waited. There was no answer. "Open the door!" she hissed.

The handle of the door jiggled a bit before the person behind it opened it. "What do you want?" Spike asked in a grumpy tone. Her expression was stony, "Who added the newest one?" Her voice was icy as she crossed her arms in a serious manner. "Why are you asking me?" he returned, about to close his door. She held her hand out, stopping it, "You always know what goes on. You're practically family with the elder."

Spike snorted with disgust, "Don't relate me with that outdated piece of crap." Candy growled and stood her place, "Don't talk about him like that! You should be grateful to him. You wouldn't even be alive if it weren't for him!" Spike's eyes wandered off to the lake, muttering more to himself. "He should've left me…"

"You're losin' it." replied Candy, leaning on his doorside. "He took you in and kept you out of trouble."

"He led me into hell."

"Are you seriously saying that you'd have rather been shot than stand here right now?"

"I'm saying I'd have rather been shot and killed than stand here right now."

Candy shook her head sadly, "You really need help." "So what was your point in bothering me, I'm busy." he snubbed, ruffling his already messy hair.

"Who bit Yoyo?"

The teen rolled his eyes and sighed. "I already told you I don't know." Closing his door, he left Candy out to think things over. Candy never fully trusted him, he was odd to start with, but he always seemed to be hiding something and this time it was no different. Perhaps the elder would know? He knew everything and he ran the pack, nodded Candy, of course he would know.

She stretched her back out and claws, twitched her ears and went out on her walk to the elder's living quarters.

&&&

"It's been two whole days for Yoyo and a day already for Tab…"

"We know…"

Most of the gang sat around the garage, not sure of what to do. Professor K hadn't found out anything new and time was dragging on. "Maybe one of the others are trying to get some dirt on us?" suggested Garam, looking out from his bug eye sunglasses. "Good thought, but Professor K would've said something. I mean, he finds out anything in two minutes, and we've had the radio on for two days straight already." relied Jazz from the top of one of the speakers.

"Yeah, who's brilliant idea, huh? These things might bust!" complained Roboy, banging his arm against one of the speakers. "But we need to have them on!" sighed Cube, glancing at him. "What's the difference if you just use your watches?" he said stubbornly. "Because we might miss something if a certain robot keeps on with his stupidities!" she growled back. "I'm tellin' you one thing you little gothic punk, if those speakers blow, the hell with it until Tab and Corn fix them for you, 'cause I ain't doin' shit!"

Beat and Clutch stood up immediately, noticing things were getting a little heated. "Will you two cut it out! Roboy's right, the speakers do gotta rest, so we'll listen on our watches, but if anything about Tab or Yoyo comes up from PK, the speakers are going on so we don't miss anything, got it?" ordered Corn, resting on the couch after his speech.

Cube glared at the robot as he cursed quietly, inaudible for her to hear. Quietly in a corner, Rhyth sat watching the entire gang. Right now she was stable, but she was nervous beyond belief. Two of her friends were missing with no clues left to unravel. If only she could help instead of sitting like an idiot was her wish at the moment. Her friends were even becoming jumpy. Cube never let Roboy get to her and she blew at him instantly. It was a small outburst, but still an outburst, none the less.

Beat was sitting off in the distance, hunched over in a chair, tapping his skate on the ground. Impatient to await news, no surprise. Combo was searching in desk drawers, cabinets, _anywhere_, to find some new batteries for his radio that had busted after the first long day of being on. His reckless searching forced Boogie to twitch with every crash or bang. Soda and Corn were the only ones who seemed calm for the situation. Nothing ever bothered Soda anyway, but one could tell something was upsetting Corn, he was too serious.

Jazz inspected her nails every second while Clutch chewed his off with boredom. "Maybe it was someone's idea of a bad prank?" he suggested, shrugging at the idea. "Yeah, you should know about bad pranks, right Clutch?" teased Jazz, remembering his attempt to steal the gang's graffiti souls. Clutch smiled and winked at her as she rolled her eyes.

"Guys, not now." scolded Combo, popping in the new batteries to his radio.

"_There was some strange event in Shibuya the other day, people screamin' about monsters and whatnot. Are we bein' attacked by them mole people?_" laughed Professor K on the air. "Monsters?" smiled Beat, happy that there was at least one announcement to put him off until the one he wanted. "Ugh…We don't _care_ about some stupid made up monsters in Shibuya…" sighed Gum, shaking her head. She paced back and forth, waiting for some good news.

Not meaning to change the main subject of the matter, but doing so anyway, Rhyth looked up from her quiet zone, "But it's true. I saw them." Everyone stared at her oddly, not knowing how to respond to this statement. "Uhh…so what they look like?" smiled Beat.

"Well…I couldn't see very well, but there was this one person sitting in the street. They looked a little distressed." she said in a pitying way. "Well, it's a person?" asked Gum, finding herself being pulled into the conversation. "It looked like one…I mean, their hair was an odd color…" Rhyth explained, trying to remember exact details. "It was covering its face."

"Oh that's great." yawned Garam, rubbing his cheek. "But two more came over and then the first one suddenly passed out. The other two had _tails_ though." she continued. "They had _tails_?" most of the gang responded in unison. Rhyth nodded, her head bobbing like a bobble head.

"And they ran really fast! On fours…I think one was a girl."

"How do you think that?" asked Soda. "Well, I don't know any guys that have pigtails." Rhyth answered honestly. Corn suddenly sat up, "Wait…pigtails?" Rhyth nodded, "Uhuh, but that's about all I could see. It was dark." She shrugged, "Sorry for going off topic anyway…"

Corn's expression stretched into thinking mode. "No, Rhyth…I think you led us right on target…"

&&&

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"My child, I _did_ ask for a new pup in a moment of desperation, but I have not retrieved notice for who is responsible for the act. Adding a new member that was human first was not my plan. I had meant a new addition as a newborn pup. Not changing someone's species."

Candy banged her fist against the elder's desk, "How can that be! You're supposed to know everything! Every member, every move, every meeting! Who wouldn't let you know their work?"

"Well, if you are to find out who, please inform me." the elder dismissed, leading Candy to the door. She opened it and turned a bit, "Thank you anyway." The old man nodded and closed his door.

Candy's search had gotten her nowhere so far and she was getting tired. There was always time. She couldn't change Yoyo's future now, but maybe he'd like to know who did this to him. Like a victim's family to the murderer. "Where's Jam?" she whispered, wondering around slowly. She hadn't seen him in a while. He was known for being by himself, though. Nothing about him remained the same after his encounter with a werewolf that suffered both he and his sister's lives.

As Candy's thoughts traveled more on this, she bumped into someone. "Oh sorry, I wasn't…Tab?" she asked, blinking a few times. An innocent smile brightened the darkness, and his voice slipped through it. "Yeah…before, when we were all in the room…it was kind of a bad thing going on with Yoyo getting angry and me having to keep my part on it and all…" he sighed, "But, I know Yoyo, and even though this is not gonna be easy for him to get over, he will, so if he says pissy things or anything like that, I just wanna let you know he doesn't really mean it."

Candy smiled, "Thanks Tab, that means a lot to me…" "For some reason, I had a feeling it would." he responded satisfied. "How was he before you left the room?" she asked thoughtfully. Tab scrunched his face and shrugged, "Hard to tell. He just dropped after you left and started sleeping."

Candy smiled happily, "Good. It's been a long day for him." Tab glanced at her and grinned slyly, "Yeah, but the night's not over yet." She looked at him, meeting his glance and tore away, blushing lightly. She wasn't supposed to feel this way. It would break her focus from her job, but she couldn't help it. Tab was also blushing as he stared at the ground, the lake, anywhere except for Candy.

They walked silently together, the air around them full of secrets. "So…me being a werewolf doesn't…bother? You?" Candy finally asked. Tab looked at her with a smile, "Nah. I'm gonna hafta get used to it eventually right? Might as well like you now." The boy suddenly paused, realizing what he had said, and blushed darkly. Candy giggled and watched the lake for a moment.

"Hey, Candy?"

She turned a bit, but stayed watching the lake. It was a beautiful sight she wouldn't let go just yet.

"Uh…do you think…"

"HUMANS!"

The two broke off from the moment to respond to Blaze's yell. "Candy! There are humans snooping around here! They're all wearing roller blades! We gotta warn…" Blaze's announcement trailed off as she looked at Tab. "Who's this?"

Candy stared blankly, forgetting everything. "Uhhh…." Tab watched as the other girl walked around him, "He's all human!" Blaze glanced at Candy, "Why is he here…?" Tab raised his hand, "I know about Yoyo. He's my friend and those are probably our other friends coming to look for us. Yoyo's been gone two days and I've been gone all of today."

"Does the elder know about this?"

Tab looked at Candy who smiled innocently and shrugged, "I'm gettin' to it! Later! Right now we need to get everyone out of here!" Blaze nodded and was about to dash off when she looked at Tab again. "Do they call you Tab?" He nodded, "Yeah?" Blaze smirked, "The blond haired boy said you were dead when he finds you."

Tab rolled his eyes and sighed, "Thanks…" The girl lowered on fours and sprinted off in a flash. Tab was pulled in a jerk to the left. "We need to find Yoyo and Jam!" Candy said, "But watch out for your gang. Neither of us can be seen."

Tab nodded and followed her, "How are we gonna find Jam? You know where he is?" Candy shook her head with some disappointment. "I'll get Yoyo. You find Jam. Less time wasting and better evasion." he figured, going his own way. "Right. Go to the center circle, Yoyo knows where it is." informed Candy, climbing the wall with help from her claws.

&&&

"Are you sure it was to Hikage Street?"

"Yes, but I still don't know where this leads us."

Corn looked around the area. It was empty with dim lighting and no civilians. This was on the outskirts of Hikage Street, the GGs had searched everywhere else. Relying on Rhyth's witness, Corn felt this was the last place they might be able to find either one of their two missing friends. Or who was responsible for the disappearance.

Rhyth looked around for any sign of life beside the life coming from her friends. "I don't like this place…" she muttered, walking closer to the group. "Me neither. Who knows what could be done in a place like this." whispered Beat, watching his back. Rhyth threw him a worried look, "What do you mean?" Gum elbowed Beat in the ribs after giving him a dirty glare, "Don't worry, Rhyth. Beat's just exaggerating."

Beat nodded in agreement and stayed quiet, but Rhyth could see the answer in his expression. Her heart tightened as she held her breath, hoping for the best. She looked off in an alleyway when the gang finally stopped moving, searching from where they were. It was just blank darkness where she was looking. She didn't feel like searching at the moment. She just wanted them back safe and sound with just a wish or a prayer. Of course such things never happened in real life, but she wished and prayed anyway. Something in the distance caught her off guard, pulling her away from her state of mind.

Two human shaped silhouettes had passed near the back of the alleyway she was watching, but they weren't any shadows from the gang. These shadows were moving with their own life. "Hey!" she called out, squinting in the darkness. Boogie looked at her, wondering who she was talking to and glanced into the alley, "There's someone there!"

The two shadows began to get smaller in a rapid pace, confirming whoever they were had now broke into a run. Rhyth and Boogie went in, followed by the rest of the gang. Rhyth was ahead, following the sounds of the other skates and bounding of feet against the ground. She raced around corners and bends, catching up to the victims, pushing herself farther with every step. Turning a corner, she abruptly halted in a skid. It was a dead end. "But how?" she muttered, searching for another alley besides the one she had come from.

Boogie came and stopped quickly before crashing into Rhyth. Soon enough, the rest of the gang caught up to them. "What was the chase for?" asked Clutch, catching his breath. "Someone was running around here." answered Rhyth. "And away from us." added Boogie, crossing her arms. "Why would someone run away from us?" asked Jazz. "Well, we _were_ kinda hunting them down, who ever they were." Clutch chuckled lightly. "Someone doesn't want to be caught…" muttered Corn, turning his head to the crash near his left.

&&&

"That was way too close."

"No kidding, yo."

The two boys walked slowly, catching their lost breath from the chase. They had almost been found, something that would not have been a good idea. "So…any idea what the excuse is gonna be when we go back?" asked Tab. Yoyo shook his head. "No, but the twins said they were comin' with us, so they better have somethin' good. Where are we going anyway?"

Tab stopped and looked at Yoyo, "We need to go the center circle, what ever that is." Yoyo nodded, "That's right by the lake." He walked quietly, looking around, making sure the coast was clear. Tab followed in not such a worried manner. He was sure they had lost the gang.

Yoyo stood in the moonlight, where they were supposed to meet the others. "Okay, now what?"

Tab looked around, "Candy said to meet her here. She went looking for Jam." Yoyo's expression dropped into a grim mug, "Oh…" Tab threw a curious look at Yoyo. "What?"

"What what?"

"You got problems with Jam?"

"Oh…we don't exactly see eye to eye, ya know?"

Tab nodded understandingly. Not everyone got along. It was a way of life. "So, we just wait?" asked Yoyo, looking at the water. Not a sound of life was heard from anyone who lived in the area. Tab kicked around a small rocked in the wait, while Yoyo's ears twitched. "We gotta get outta here."

"But Candy said…"

"They're coming."

Tab turned to where Yoyo was staring at, "Who's coming?" "All of them…" Yoyo said in a whisper. "C'mon!" he ordered, yanking Tab to a dark alley.

Scraping against the concrete echoed in the wide spaced area. "Ohh! Look at the water view!" awed Jazz, eyes shining. "Can we go now? We haven't found anything and we've searched this place inside out already." admitted Cube, placing a hand on Corn's shoulder, "We won't find anything in the dark."

Garam nodded, "She's right. We'll do better when we're all rested. Roboy can listen for anything while we're sleeping." Corn sighed and agreed, "Yeah, let's go home." Rhyth's heart sank at the words. She was so sure they might actually find the boys tonight. What if something horrible happened to them? On top of that, she felt awful about the time the gang had wasted looking for them here. All work and they came up empty-handed.

She looked to the side as everyone huddled back together, ready to head back when she saw two glowing eyes in the darkness. Startled, she froze as they blinked watching her as she watched them. "Rhyth! Let's go!" called Corn, starting off the bunch. "Coming…" she replied, starting off slowly, then catching up to the gang.

"You think she saw us?" whispered Tab as soon as the gang was a good distance away. "I dunno. She was starin', yo." answered Yoyo, rubbing his neck. "Yeah…but she would've said something if she knew it was us." figured Tab, crossing his arms. "Unless she's thinkin up some plan against us, tryin to keep everything undercover, yo." grinned Yoyo.

Tab shook his head with a smile, "Nah, Rhyth's worried about us, you can see it in her eyes." Yoyo's grin grew wider, "You lookin' in her eyes, dude?" Tab began to walk, "Not like _that_. She's not my type anyway." Yoyo started to walk too, "Yeah…she's not like Candy, now is she?" Tab froze and glared at Yoyo who began to laugh. "You know that was a good one, yo!"

"Shut up!" he growled, his face flushing with embarrassment. "Ah c'mon! You know you like her!" teased Yoyo, giving Tab a slight punch in his arm. Glaring at him, Tab moved farther away from Yoyo, hoping to shut him up. Sadly for him, his idea didn't work. "Does she know?" peeped Yoyo, keeping the same pace as Tab. Tab shrugged impassively, staring ahead.

"Where does everyone go when they're in hiding?" he asked before Yoyo could ask anything else. Yoyo paused as he thought about this. No one explained anything to him about such an event. He shook his head negatively, looking around.

"Yoyo! Tab!"

Out of one of the alleys came the twins, making sure no one was around except them. "Where've you guys been?" asked Jam, watching them with impatience in his eyes. "Where've _we_ been! Where've you been! We've been waiting right here!" defended Yoyo, lifting his arm out. Although Tab was with Yoyo on the defense, he had to give some true excuse, "We got off the main road a bit. Yoyo led us right into the gang."

Yoyo looked at Tab darkly. "Oh yeah Tab, blame everything on me." he growled. Tab tilted his head, "Well, you were leadin' us, so it _is_ your fault." Candy broke into the argument, "Wait, they _saw_ you!" Yoyo half shook his head. He wasn't sure about Rhyth and neither was Tab. "Uhhh, well, not the first time…but they were about to leave and we were hiding and Rhyth kinda stared our way, but we don't know." he said hopelessly.

"That's great." mocked Jam, rolling his eyes. Yoyo glared at Jam, "Don't you have some graves to dig?" Jam's eyes locked on Yoyo, "Yeah, what size should I make yours, 'cause you'll be needing one real soon." Yoyo clenched his teeth as Tab stood between the two, making sure they wouldn't have any physical contact. "Can't you two try to stand each other for at least five minutes?" sighed Candy, rubbing her forehead.

The boys glared at each other, putting no effort into Candy's words. Candy glanced at Tab and then the others, "C'mon. We gotta let the elder know about Tab." She started to walk, followed by the rest, to the elder's cottage, knocking on his door gently. The soft thud echoed, for there was nothing to break off the sound.

The door opened slowly, revealing no one. "Hello?" Candy called, opening it wider, "Anyone here?" Jam sighed and walked in like nothing, "Old man! Where are you?" No one answered this, but wind broke through the single window of the large room. Jam shrugged and shook his head.

"What are you doing in here?"

The four turned around to the door way, where the elder stood. "It is not safe for you to loiter." he told them. "They're gone." Yoyo waved off. Jam poked Candy lightly, an indication for her to speak up. "We need to tell you something…" she said quietly. The elder watched her and knew something was wrong, "What is it?"

"Remember before, we told you Yoyo had friends?"

"Yes."

"One of them went searching for him and…found him."

The elder looked up at Yoyo who looked at Tab. Tab waved tensely and grinned. The old man sighed, "A human…this has never happened before." Tab shook his head, "I won't tell anyone. I'm pretty good with keeping things quiet." Knowing this was a serious subject, he had to keep this quiet. But what would happen if someone else found out? This type of secret wasn't the type that they could keep under cover for long. Yoyo still didn't know how to control himself entirely.

"No need for any _rash_ decisions, right?" smiled Yoyo, his pointy teeth shining in the light. "No, but our trust is in you." the elder hinted at Tab, "Remember, live your life as nothing happened. If we feel that you are putting us in danger, we might have to use unnecessary forces."

Tab glanced at Jam who was drawing a line across his throat with his finger. "Don't worry. I won't tell a soul." he said, returning his attention to the old man. The elder sat in his chair, sighing, not sure if this decision was the right one. But it was the only one they could go with for now. Maybe this boy could prove his loyalty somehow. "You will be staying here then?" asked the old man. "I go when Yoyo goes." Tab answered. The elder nodded and waved his hand, signaling for them to go.

"Went better than expected." muttered Jam, looking at Candy. Candy nodded with a smile. Tab yawned and looked at his watch. It was getting late. "Okay, where am I sleepin' at?" he mumbled. Jam led him off to his room, leaving Yoyo and Candy.

"Is he always with that 'death is coming' expression?" Yoyo asked Candy as soon as he was gone. Candy shrugged uncomfortably, "He's…been different since we were dragged into this…" Yoyo looked at her in shock. "You mean he wasn't like that before?"

Candy shook her head, "No! He used to be happy and joking all the time, but now he's just the opposite. Changes happen to you when you realize nothing's going to be the same anymore." Gloom filled her voice and made Yoyo feel cold and alone. "This curse is a major sacrifice in our lives." she continued as if she was lecturing herself, "We're always moving, we can hardly trust anyone, and we're all broken families…"

Yoyo watched her as her face went blank and empty. "Wait. We're always moving!" he interrupted. She looked at him and nodded, "We're always on the move. We've been here only a month. That's the longest we've stayed anywhere." Yoyo stared at her, "Whoa, I can't be movin' all over, yo! I got friends here! My home is here! I got a dog to feed!"

Candy shook her head sadly, "That's why Jam is the way he is. He thought of the same things." Yoyo glared at her, "I'm not leaving Tokyo." Candy sighed, "You don't get it, do you?" Yoyo stopped and listened. "It's not just Tokyo! We're leaving _Japan_! We go all over! As in all over the world!"

Yoyo's jaw dropped and his eyes widened, "WHAT!" The girl sat and leaned her head against her knees, watching out at the lake. This conversation was bringing back too many past memories that she'd rather forget. Yoyo's mind swirled as he thought about what the future would bring. "Why me…" he sighed quietly, also sitting down. "That's what I said." Candy mumbled in return. "There was another pack somewhere, a bigger pack, stronger and more experienced…"

"Then why don't we give 'em a call, yo? Have them help out!" he whined, waving an arm around. "We lost contact a long time ago. We think something might've happened to them." Candy explained. "They were out at war…and then, that's it. We haven't heard from them since…"

"War?"

"Vampires."

"Oh…"

"We fear they lost…"

Yoyo sighed, feeling that he was needed in this new community, but not wanting to leave his old one. Now that he knew a little more about this past, he didn't blame Jam for his attitude. "How'd you get like this?" he asked innocently.

"Jam was out with his friends, getting into trouble like always…but he never cared. Our parents would go nuts when the cops brought him home. "Teenage troubles." our dad used to say. Jam and those guys were throwing things at this old building that the kids used to say was haunted. My brother, being who he used to be, threw something in through the window and hit someone inside. We didn't know there was someone living there, or _something_, so they started running as this thing went chasing after them. I went to get my brother, because it was already getting late and my mom was throwing a fit. I found him in an alleyway, all bloody and passed out. I thought he was dead. I screamed and went to him and that's when that thing bit me."

Candy's expression became stony, "He tried to tell me to run before I got jumped, but I wouldn't listen. He tells me it's his fault this happened to me, but it's really mine."

Yoyo felt crushed inside as tears raced down Candy's cheeks, "Our parents think we're dead." She wiped her face and sniffed, "Sorry, I know I'm not making you feel any better about this." Yoyo placed a hand on her shoulder, "But it's helping me understand other things." She smiled slightly and stood up, "You better get rest. Tomorrow's not gonna welcome you nicely."

Yoyo nodded, "Yeah, I'll head over in a minute." Candy left, sniffling faintly from her light cry. Yoyo scrunched his face into a thought phase and groaned, "This crap is no joke…"


	8. 4 Days

**Four Days**

"They're dead. They're both dead." muttered Clutch, shaking his head sadly. "Man, you can't say that! We're not sure of anything yet, so shut up until you can prove it." growled Garam, glaring at him.

Four days had gone by without an update on Yoyo or Tab. Neither had returned and the gang was getting anxious. Jazz sat on a stool next to the kitchen counter, drumming her fingers against it, nails clicking as they tapped. She wasn't so far from where the boys were talking. They couldn't be dead, she thought, knocking out the possibility with some logic, if they were, whoever had them would've gotten rid of the bodies, right…?

A chill went down her spine as she tried pushing this new thought away. "You guys are giving up too early." she confronted, waving her arm. "Early? I think we've holding on to luck too long." mumbled Clutch, his eyes' life light going out.

Across the garage, Rhyth could see the three talking. By just looking at their faces, she could tell her friends weren't thinking anything positive. She, herself, had secretly given up even though she had promised herself she wouldn't days ago. No radio updates, no gang uproars, no anything. What hope could she have when there was none to be had? She took a deep breath, taking a look at everyone else.

Beat looked at the small dog walking around in circles around Yoyo's usual dancing spot. He sat hunched and his tail stopped wagging. A slim whine broke through his throat. Beat rubbed the dog's head and sighed, "I know, boy." Beat kneeled down to tighten his skates, while Potts watched. Out of the blue, the dog began barking excitedly, startling Beat. "What? What?" he repeated, watching the dog's movements.

Potts suddenly bolted to the Shibuya gate, barking and tail wagging as he did. Beat arched an eyebrow as he slowly got up, following him to the gate.

"Hey everybody, I'm back!"

The gate to the garage from Shibuya opened rapidly in a swing, revealing Yoyo with a grin, and Tab behind him. "Found him." announced Tab jokingly, jerking his thumb at Yoyo. They were both yanked into a neck-crunching hug by Rhyth, "You're back!"

"We didn't go that far." grinned Yoyo as Rhyth let him go. "Then where were you?" asked Boogie with the rest of the gang behind her, skating up to the group.

"So, when's our cue to save this guy's butt?" muttered Jam from just behind the gate's coverage. "I guess now." suggested Candy, entering in the garage. Yoyo smiled at them, "You see…it kinda goes like this…I …followed them after they left." he nodded his head at the twins. "It was one of those feelings, you know. Anyway, I lost them after a while and something knocked me out. I don't remember what it was, who it was, anything! I just got knocked out cold."

"We found him passed out." Candy picked up, "And took him to this nice guy we know." "He didn't wake up until yesterday and the dude said it wasn't good for him to just get up and leave, so he stayed an extra night." finished Jam, glancing at Yoyo.

Beat watched at the three told the story. It seemed a little memorized for him. If Yoyo had passed out for four days, wouldn't that be considered a coma? Why didn't they take him to a hospital? "And you just found him today?" he asked Tab, wondering where he could've been. "No, I found him the day I left. But, I said I wasn't coming back until I found him, so I kept my promise." he smiled, shrugging, "Plus, I had to let them know Yoyo probably wouldn't want anything that would get him super noticed, like going to an emergency room. Hayashi would've definitely wanted information if someone reported seeing one of the GGs there."

Beat thought about this and remembered that Yoyo had disappeared the day Hayashi was searching for rudies. It made sense. "Well, we better get going. Babysitting takes a lot out of you." remarked Jam, stretching. Yoyo glared at him and muttered something under his breath. Candy rolled her eyes and nodded, "Yeah, bye, guys!"

Yoyo and Tab waved as the two raced out of the garage. Yoyo turned to the gang, "Got food? I'm starving, yo!" Gum crossed her arms, "Didn't they feed you when you woke up?" she added with a bit of sarcasm. "Fine! I'll get it myself." he replied crossly. As he went to the refrigerator, Tab sat on the big couch, ready to relax from the nightmare he had stepped into a few days before. Beat skated over, hesitating at first, but finally decided to talk to Tab. He wasn't too sure if he should ask the question he had in mind, but he might as well.

"Tab, where were you guys for those four days?"

Tab looked at Beat, "We told you." Beat shook his head, "Yeah, you told us. You told us a story, but I don't believe it. There's something about you guys when you were telling us…" Tab glanced at Beat, unaffected by his mood, "It'll just be a repeat of what you heard before."

Beat shook his head thoughtfully. Normally, things like this didn't bother him, but there were others involved and he didn't like that. He would just have to be careful about those two. He was sure he wasn't going to get any truthful information out of Yoyo. Most of the time, Beat wasn't sure to believe Yoyo when he said a single sentence.

In the kitchen, Yoyo was chugging down a carton of ice cream. He ignored the brain freeze while he slurped down the scoops right from the box itself. "I just bought that…" sighed Rhyth, sitting on a stool. He glanced at her, "Oops." She rolled her eyes, "Just don't make a-" Yoyo stuck the spoon in his mouth and tossed the empty carton on the floor, rummaging through the refrigerator again. "Mess." Rhyth finished grimly.

The elder had told him his appetite would increase, but he never thought it would mean close to starvation. In five minutes, he had eaten the carton of ice cream, drank a gallon of juice, gulped down three yogurts, ate a package of cookies, and he was working his way to the chips when Rhyth cleared her throat awkwardly, "Um…Yoyo? Are you okay?"

He looked at her innocently, "Yeah, I'm just a little hungry…" She stared at him, "A _little_?" He opened the bag of chips, "Okay, a _lot_ hungry, but a guy's gotta eat, right?"

"Sides, I'm a growing boy, yo." he joked in between swallows. Rhyth watched as he reached into the bag with one hand and searched the refrigerator with the other for another refreshment. She smiled a little bit, thinking of a secret she had. He looked at her, "What's so funny?" She smiled fully, "Nothing."

&&&

Yoyo paced around in his room, wondering what to do. His ears, teeth, and claws had come in, but he had an urge. A bad urge. He sat on the edge of his bed and tapped his foot on the floor as his digital clock flashed midnight. Everyone else had to be sleeping. The elder had told him he was ready to go back to his home, but now Yoyo wasn't so sure. If this was supposed to be kept a secret, the elder shouldn't have made that decision.

"No wonder all of them stay together. They all know their secrets! No one has to hold back…" he muttered, clenching his teeth as the howl within him almost crept out. Well, he had Tab…

"Tab! Get up! Hello! Tab! Yo!"

Tab sat up in a jolt, "Wah…!" He blinked a couple of times and yawned before standing up and going to his door. Yoyo leaned against the doorside, waiting for Tab to eventually get up. Tab turned the knob and opened, "What?" Yoyo looked at him and smiled icily, "Awake now?" Tab blinked blankly and yawned, "Not really…"

"Good, listen! I'm having a really bad feeling…"

Tab's eyes slowly closed, loosing focus on Yoyo, "Uhuh…"

"Tab!"

"Yeah, I'm listening!"

Yoyo looked around, making sure no one else was around, "I have to howl." he hissed. Tab rubbed his eyes, "Why?" Yoyo looked at him hopelessly, "Like I know!" Leaning his head against the door, Tab sighed, "Then go howl." Yoyo stared at him.

"What!"

"I said go howl."

"I can't just go and howl, yo! Everyone's sleeping! Secret to be kept, remember?" Yoyo reminded, ramming his knuckles into Tab's head. Tab rubbed his head and glared at Yoyo, fully awake, "Then hold it in!" Yoyo smacked his hand against Tab's mouth as he heard a crack in the distance. His ears twitched, and he pushed Tab into his room, going in himself. Watching from the small crack of the door, he peeked out at Garam going to the sink in the kitchen for some water.

As soon as he went back into his room, Yoyo turned to Tab who had sat on his chair and fallen asleep. "_Tab_…" Yoyo called. Tab pulled his hat up a bit and glared at Yoyo, "Why did I have to be the one to go look for you, dammit!" Yoyo shrugged, "Good question. Why did I follow those two four days ago?" Tab sighed, "At least the first one is answerable."

Yoyo rolled his eyes and looked out the small window Tab had in the back of his room. He couldn't contain himself anymore. A loud, screeching howl broke out of him, startling Tab immediately. Yoyo was about to howl a second time, when Tab covered his mouth, hearing doors opening in the garage.

"What the hell's that!" complained Corn, looking around from his doorway. Beat only yelled from inside his domain, "Shut up!" and Garam, "I'm tryin' to sleep!" Gum yelled in reply, "I was, too!" Combo growled as he opened his door, "It's that damn dog! Shut him up!"

Potts growled at Combo as he knew he had been talking about him. Corn sighed as he took Potts and put him in his kennel, locking it. Potts pawed at the barred door, whining gently as he did. "Sorry, Potts, but we gotta sleep." yawned Corn, heading back to his room. Combo also closed his door and Tab let go of Yoyo, "You're lucky we got Potts around."

Yoyo looked at him, "Yeah, but he gets locked up because of me..." Tab shrugged, "It's only for one night. If this happens again, you should go check with that old guy." Yoyo nodded, "Yeah, thanks." He checked to make sure everyone had gone and went to his room. He still wasn't tired, but he could think of what he needed to do. Maybe that was the point of his howl. Some kind of calling? Maybe…, he thought.

&&&

The early sunrise woke only the early birds who liked the morning peace. In this cluster were Corn, Cube, Jazz, and Garam. They hardly talked or bothered each other, but they were aware of their presence. As the hours passed, more of their friends came out from their slumber and hiding, greeting in grunts and sighs on their way to the bathroom.

Rhyth looked up from her cereal, "It's quiet."

"Yeah…" agreed Beat, looking around from the sink. There were twelve teens hanging around the garage doing random activities. One was missing. "Where's Yoyo?" he asked, turning to sit on a stool. "Sleeping." answered Corn while he drank some milk since Yoyo had drunk all the juice. "Still?" questioned Rhyth, taking a single marshmallow from her bowl and eating it.

"Still."

Beat shook his head and pointed, "I'm not feeding that dog again! He's not my responsibility!" Corn gave him a cold look, "Then wake up Yoyo instead of wasting time whining about him."

Beat sighed and stood up, trudging to Yoyo's room. A bang within the room proved that he was awake. "Yoyo? You gotta feed Potts remember?" he called, banging on his door, "He's starting to chew my spare skates!" A yip answered this. Beat groaned and rapped on Yoyo's door, "Yo_yoooo_!"

"HANG ON A MINUTE YO!"

Beat stepped away from the door at such a respond and growled, "Hurry up!" Beat went back to his seat and to a smiling Rhyth, "So…he's up?" Beat shrugged, "From the way he screamed, he should be."

&&&

"Not good, yo! Not good!"

Yoyo stormed back and forth in his room among the space he had available to walk. He was in an odd situation and couldn't leave his room until he had control. "What do I do?" he wondered, tugging at his already messy hair. He glanced again in the mirror and shuttered. "I never practiced how to get _this_ to go away!"

Slightly lifting the bottom of his sleeping shirt was a dark brown tail that could reach his shoulder with the tip. He froze in the mirror again and wagged it slightly. "Aw _man_!" he sighed, wiping his head. It had come in on its own. He could control the tail, but he wasn't sure how to make it go away like he did with his other features.

His friends were already waiting for him outside in the garage. If he were to get dressed, the tail would stick out obviously and if he stayed in his baggy shorts and white T, the others would know something was wrong. He never came out in his form of "pjs". Rummaging through his closet, he moaned as he realized that he didn't have any shirts or hoods that went past his behind, except the clothes he slept with.

Another knock at the door.

"I'll be out, I said hang on, yo!"

"Yoyo, it's me."

Yoyo opened the door slightly at Tab's voice. "Having 'problems'?" he asked as soon as the door was open. "Sorta…" Yoyo muttered, tail twitching in back." Tab stared at him, "Whoa!" Yoyo glared, "Shhh!"

"Right…so, you better go back to that place, huh?"

"Yeah…cover me. Oh, and…feed Potts."

Yoyo closed the door as Tab went to do the errand and opened the window in the back of his room. It was just big enough for him to climb out of, or, he was just small enough. He strapped on his skates and quickly climbed out the window, and shut it. He was used to this act, him doing it all the time to sneak out regularly, but this time he felt anxious about getting caught. He could mess everything up, not only for himself, but for his new friends.

He hid behind the dog billboard near the half pipe training area, peeking out to see if anyone was looking where he needed to go. Rhyth was staring out into space, her cereal forgotten for the moment; Tab was getting a can of dog food while Potts followed him heartedly, Beat was occupied with cleaning his other pair of skates and bobbing his head to the beat of the music in his headphones, and Corn was reading some random magazine. Those were the closest people around, but Yoyo didn't feel safe about leaving yet.

Rhyth was staring out, but it was out where Yoyo needed to get to. "C'mon Rhyth…look the other way, yo!"

Her eyes slowly closed in a cheeky way and her nose scrunched up, "ACHOO!"

Yoyo grabbed his chance and shot out of the garage, heart pacing furiously, hoping no one was out on the streets that he knew. He pushed himself farther down Shibuya Terminal and into the backs of Hikage Street. The familiar surroundings calmed him down, even though they weren't his exact home, but then again, he never had a 'real' home. Not with a family supporting him, anyway.

He slowed down his race into a walk and his eyes roamed the streets and alleyways. "Guys? Anyone? Hello?"

&&&

"I saw him leave."

"Where's he going at this time? Tryin' to disappear again?"

Rhyth shrugged as Beat sighed hopelessly. Yoyo could make the choices a six-year-old would sometimes. He wasn't sure how Yoyo's mentality worked, and was sure he never would. As for Rhyth, she understood Yoyo had his own ways of solving things that could seem strange to everyone else, but that's what made him Yoyo. It didn't bother her too much, unless he would be gone without eventual report. Then she would get nervous, and she hated that feeling. A sister's nerve racking chill. A mother's worried, pained heart. The things she never experienced firsthand, she treated those she cared for.

Rhyth turned to Tab, wonder in her eyes, "Do you know where he went, Tab?" The boy nodded halfway, "He said he needed some air and breakfast to go." Rhyth agreed that this sounded normal, except for one thing. Yoyo never came out from his room though his door.

&&&

The elder chuckled as Yoyo's tail swiftly swept through the air, amazing the boy. "What's so funny?" he asked in awe, "I have a freakin' _tail_, yo!"

"And you were not expecting this?"

Yoyo's cheeks slightly changed to pink, "Uhhh…well, it caught me off guard."

"Ah."

"So, how do I make it go away?"

The elder watched Yoyo with thoughtful eyes, "This, I cannot help you with." Yoyo stared at him, "What!"

"I cannot help you."

"So, I'm stuck with this thing!"

The elder sat down in his chair and put his cane to the side, "Only until you figure out how to rid of it." Yoyo growled, "But I don't know how!" The old man, unaffected by Yoyo's growing temper, reached for a glass that happened to be on the desk behind him, "Well then, you'll just have to practice here."

Yoyo's teeth slowly began to grow into sharp daggers, "I'm NOT staying in this place again! My friends are probably wondering where I am right now! This thing's just started and I already hate it," he stormed, reaching for the door knob and turning it, "And, look I'm sorry for whatever your doing, but I can't be part of it! I didn't ask for this and I don't think I deserve anything that's part of-"

"Yoyo! You're back!"

The boy stood speechless as one of the half-bloods who greeted him on his first day, Blaze, smiled at him holding a breakfast tray for the elder. "Oh…hey, Blaze." croaked Yoyo, feeling his throat dry up. Blaze placed the tray on the desk and poured some juice into the empty glass the elder was holding. "Did you come this morning? It's only been a day that you've been gone, but it feels like you were always around since the beginning. It was a little quiet." she smiled softly, turning to him once she was done.

The elder watched as Yoyo smiled at the compliment, "Yes, Yoyo was also leaving." Blaze looked down in disappointment as Yoyo glared at the old man, "Was not. I was sorta planning to stay around. I got a tail problem." he added, wagging his tail. Blaze giggled while the elder nodded, "Then I suggest you eat something before you use energy."

"Food? That's my department!" Blaze announced, motioning for Yoyo to follow as she walked out of the cottage. Yoyo looked at her and then at the elder with a grin, "Okay, I'll stay a few hours. But only until I got this tail thing down packed, alright?" The elder waved him off, "Do what you feel is best."

Yoyo nodded and closed the door. The elder shook his head as he glanced down at his breakfast, "Human, werewolf, vampire…no matter what species, teenagers are all the same…"

&&&

"What walk of fresh air takes nine hours!"

Tab shrugged as Corn fumed over the loss of 99th Street. The girls of 99th Street, Rapid 99, had challenged the GGs to a game of Flag. The point of the game was whoever collected the most miscellaneous put flags won the game, and in this case, the territory. Defeating Rapid 99 was usually easy for the GGs, but this time, Yoyo wasn't there.

Sparks, one of the members of Rapid 99, had a soft spot for Yoyo and Corn knew it. It was easy for Yoyo to speed by her, she being in a simultaneous shock. This always gave advantage to the GGs. Clearly, it wasn't played as a fair game, but if it took a little cheating to win a territory, Corn did it.

"Where could he be!" wondered Tab, himself. He watched as his brother's dark mood affected everyone. Tab was disappointed they had lost 99th Street, but thought about what could have taken Yoyo the whole day.

&&&

Yoyo sat at the table, watching Blaze cook random things. She seemed to be enjoying herself. "So, everything you make gets eaten around here?" he asked, drawing invisible scribbles with his finger on the table. Blaze looked over her shoulder, "Pretty much. Unless I'm very sick, I always cook the food around here."

"It's great." Yoyo smiled, winking. Blaze smiled back, "Thanks. It's been something I always wanted to do, even when I was little." Her smile faded, catching Yoyo's attention, "This curse robbed you, huh?"

She stopped stirring the mixture inside the pot, "It's robbed you too. You just haven't understood the most of it," her eyes shined oddly and became glassy, "Don't you see? You don't have a future anymore."

Yoyo shrugged, "I never really had a future anyway." Blaze sighed, "Everything you do has to agree with the pack and you live in secret all the time." Yoyo thought about this, "Sounds like the gang."

Blaze looked up at him, this last statement thrown out getting the point across to him, "And if you die as a monster…you die alone."

&&&

The gates to Shibuya slowly opened, squeaking at the rusting parts. Yoyo crept in, it being late and he had not been around all day surely would have set off something in someone by now. His skates clicked against the ground as he walked to his room. "Home free." he whispered happily, about to open his door.

"Where've _you_ been?"

Yoyo let his hand fall back to his side, turning around to face the gang. By the looks on their faces, they weren't exactly happy to see him.

"Around…" he answered cautiously. "Around where?" asked Gum, crossing her arms. Yoyo looked at her seriously, "Hey look, you ain't my mom, and you got no restrains on me, okay? I'll come and go when I feel like it, yo."

"Yoyo, you're in a gang. Yeah, you may wanna do whatever you feel like, and no one's stoppin' ya, but we need to know something!" Jazz confronted. "How can we watch your back when we don't know where you are half the time?" brought up Soda, skating forward. Yoyo's thoughts filled with boredom due to the conversation. He slid into his room while they were still lecturing him.

"This isn't getting any better…no wonder all them werewolves have no outside friends…" Yoyo muttered. Soon enough, the voices outside his door went away, until a light knock on his door disturbed the silence. Thinking this was Tab, Yoyo continued flicking his claws out, and then morphing them back into human hands, "Door's open, yo."

"Yoyo?"

The gentle voice slipped through the room, ringing into Yoyo's ears. This sent Yoyo into a nervous state, forcing him to sit on his hand that hadn't had time to morph back into human form. He looked up from his hand at the girl approaching him. "Hey Rhyth."

She placed her arms behind her innocently, "Hey." He grinned, his teeth shining, "So, wassup, yo?"

"I was just wondering if there was anything wrong. Today you were gone a long time and that's not like you. If I can help, if anyone can help, tell us, okay?"

Yoyo looked at her grimly and stood, hand normal, "Did Corn tell you to say that?" Rhyth shook her head, her eyes staying focused on him, "No! I-I was just wondering if everything was alright." He nodded, "I'm fine. Nothing wrong, I just…" he pouted in thought, ", took a day off from the usual life style."

She glanced at his hand, for he was continually looking at it and stretching it out, "So, you're okay?"

"I'm fine."

"You sure?"

"Perfectly."

Rhyth's face stretched back into her happily peaceful living smile and she put her arms around Yoyo, surprising him. "You scared me before, Yoyo. We all thought something had happened when you were gone for days. Nobody wants that to happen again…" she told him with a hug. Yoyo could feel her heartbeat against his chest and the warmth of her heating him up. She let go and left his room, closing the door and leaving the room the way it was before she had entered.

Yoyo stayed glued to his spot, red in the cheeks, wondering if he had really worried her as she had said. Rhyth wasn't the type to lie and they had always been friends. As he laid back on his bed, arms giving him support for his head, he thought about how someday he might never see her again and for the first time, Yoyo realized that he was scared of the future.

* * *

**Author's Note**:_ I love this chapter. Especially the end. It's all cutesy. Don't worry my loyal readers! The vampires will be here soon! I guarantee!_


	9. On and Off Situation

**On and Off Situation**

As two days passed, the gang could see changes in Yoyo. He seemed more serious, and less prone to laugh at his usual cue. His typical grin was replaced with a shy smile instead, and he hadn't talked that much in the time he was back. His eyes were now to the floor, where he had been staring for the last five minutes.

"Yoyo?"

The boy looked up at his friend. The only one who knew his secret. "Yeah?"

Tab sat on the couch next to him, feeling it was safe to discuss the subject because no one else was paying attention. "You gotta stop moping around! The gang is wondering about you." Yoyo shrugged carelessly, "So?"

Tab threw him a grim look, "_So_ you gotta stop or they might figure something out."

"And?"

"_And_ that's _bad_!" said Tab, edging his voice a bit. Yoyo sat still, continuing to stare at the floor in silence. "Yoyo, think about it. You're not the only one with that problem. It's a whole 'pack' or whatever they call it." Tab reminded, not that he needed to.

"I know that." Yoyo replied darkly, "No need to tell me again."

"Then don't be stupid in your undercover plan." Tab spat, glaring at him. Yoyo looked at him serious, "FYI, I'm tryin' to think of a way to break it down to everyone when I leave."

Tab shrugged, "Tell them you're going to buy something or meet up with Jam." Yoyo shook his head sadly. "Nothing like that keeps a person away for years…" Tab's eyes widened, "Years? What are you talking about?" The boy, whose life had been normal just the week before, sighed and stayed quiet.

"Yoyo? What were you _saying_?"

"Tab, I have to leave."

Tab blinked, wondering what these words meant. Leaving could mean so many things. Leave as in so gone you're practically dead? Leave as in rest? Leave as in sometime coming back? "I still don't know what you mean." Yoyo cracked his jaw, deciding that he should let Tab know what was going to happen. He finally looked at Tab with the deepest sorrow within his eyes.

&&&

Far off in Kibogaoka Hill, a lowly being scampered off into the safe shadow darkness that protected the ground. It was a cool night, but the thought of being around there knowing the dangers gave him chills, not the weather. Quieter than the wind, he stood up and looked around; making sure no one was around watching him. The last thing he needed was for someone to have followed him.

He glanced up at an old warehouse, happy to have reached it quickly. He slid in front of the door, knocking on the large door. The bang echoed throughout the hill, off the water and into every dark hideout existing. The door creaked open, revealing a large dark room. The stranger entered in, the door slowly closing behind him, leaving him in darkness.

"You're late, you know."

The boy turned around to the one who had greeted him. She was a young girl, no more than sixteen years of age with pale white skin. Her yellow eyes watched as he growled at her, not happy about her remark. She glided to him in a carefree manner, her long drape-like sleeves hanging down from her midriff, attached to the cuffs. Her light pinkish, loosely fit hip-hugger pants flapped gently as the wind within the place blew through them, but she felt no chill. Her wavy brown hair moved to the front of her face and she pushed the bit behind her ear.

"Yeah, I know." he answered, turning from her. "Don't worry. Master won't do anything to you, this time. He's been in a good mood today." she reassured, following him in a float, her feet just above the ground. The boy glanced at her, "I don't care if he was in a good mood or not. He has a deal to keep."

She sighed and rolled her eyes, "You things are all the same. All talk but no action." He stopped walking and faced her with angst in his eyes, "Which is why I'm helping _you_ things out. I help you, you help me. And I'll be out of this hell." "At least you can get out of it!" she snarled, clenching her teeth, "You know nothing of deepest torment of the life in between!"

"Enough!"

The two separated, looking up at a shadowy figure who had seated himself at the end of the warehouse. "Master." the girl nodded and departed, heading off in her own way. She was not to be there when her master was at business. As she walked, or glided, she sighed at how lonely she was, even thought she shared this place with hundreds more. No one was really her friend, and she hadn't had one in a long time.

Back in the main center of the warehouse, the boy crossed his arms. "What did you want?"

"I understand there was a new addition to your pack?"

"This shouldn't be new news to you. I told you the old man was planning that a while ago."

"Yes, but this one is strong and has an attitude to lead to a victory, which I do not intend on happening."

"And neither do I."

"So, I suggest you get rid of this waste."

"You're the one who told me to pick the fly by guy who seemed harmless! Now you want me to get rid of him!"

The master of the warehouse banged his fist against his chair, "I asked you to fetch a weak one. I let _you_ decide who would be chosen to fail your pack. Now…" From inside his coat, he pulled out a thin glass tube filled with an odd purple liquid, "If you want this, you will hold your end of the bargain."

The boy looked down, failing to stand up for himself, "I will."

"Good boy. You will rid of this new one, and lead your pack into loss. We will rise, and you will have what you want and be free."

The boy nodded and turned, his mind spinning with new thoughts and plans. He opened the door and looked out, checking for pedestrians. People never came by there, but Ellie had seen a boy once, so precautions had to be made. He closed the door and sprinted out back to his home.

The man held up the tube to the moonlight, watching as the purple changed to a darker version of the color. He grinned, and his fangs glistened.

&&&

Tab stared at Yoyo in astonishment. He couldn't have been telling the truth. Yoyo would never leave the gang solo. It just wasn't heard of. Never came to mind. "You're kidding, right?" Tab asked hopefully, hoping Yoyo was.

Yoyo shook his head sadly, "You know I can't keep this up. And they're gonna leave soon. I belong with them now." Tab arched an eyebrow, "But you were one of us first!" Yoyo nodded, "I know, but there's no cure for this and they're depending on me, Tab."

Tab blinked emptily, wondering where this new Yoyo was coming from. It had to be the animal in him talking. It was calling him to the rest. "Yoyo, knock it out. This isn't you! I mean, since you got bitten, it hasn't been you! You look like you're gonna die all the time and you're not paying attention to the things you used to!"

Yoyo's eyes searched the garage in random spots, "I know this isn't me. It won't be the old me anymore. There's something else in me and it has a tail and claws." Tab shook his head, "You're still you, it's just the other side that's making you doubt it." Tab stood up and sighed, "Well, you do what you gotta, but just keep in mind, is this what you really wanna do to the rest of them?" he said, pointing to the members of the gang.

He skated off to practice his handstand. He had to let Yoyo have some time to himself. It would be the only way Yoyo could see what he was going to do was wrong. At least to Tab it was wrong. And Tab knew something Yoyo didn't, but he wouldn't let him know. It was the only other big promise he had to make. And if Yoyo left, that person would be shattered.

Yoyo also stood, but he went to the kitchen. He didn't know what to do anymore. Compared to fighting off vampires, gang fights sounded like nothing, and this kept him from spraying graffiti. His mind was too occupied to think about anything near graffiti. He was thinking now. Something that he never really did for a long time. He was the usual get-it-done-now type of guy, not really thinking over the consequence of what might come from his actions.

There was a meeting later on, near twelve at night. Sneaking out would be easy, most of the gang would be sleeping if not hooked on the TV or out on a date somewhere. He was one of the TV junkies, but lately he had broken the habit. He did miss the customary cake mix that Rhyth would whip up just for the guys. It had been a long time since anyone actually baked a cake in the garage. They just ate the unhealthy cake mix.

His stomach growled just thinking about the batter of raw eggs, water, oil, and the cake powder. He loved licking the spoon, a childhood memory that stayed with him until that very moment. He rested his head on the counter, noticing that there was a platter of cookies just waiting to be eaten. He reached out to grab one, in result, his hand was smacked.

"Ow!"

"Those are for later, greedy!"

Rhyth giggled as he rubbed his hand. "Where'd you come from?" he grumbled. Rhyth giggled some more, "Well, when a mommy and a daddy love each other soooo much-"

"Never mind!" he said quickly, cutting her off. "What's the matter?" she asked, wondering why he had been so…not himself. "Besides the fact that my hand got smacked and I almost got a retelling of the birds and the bees?" he joked, making her laugh.

"Yes, besides that."

"Well…uhhh…"

"Yes?"

"It's hard to explain, Rhyth. It's a guy thing." he ended, giving her the excuse the girls would tell him when they didn't feel like explaining. Rhyth, understanding that he wanted to keep this personal, nodded. "You're not sick, right?" she asked, wondering if this could be it. Some of the guys, like Beat or Garam, hated being sick, and would try to hide it from everyone until they were so wasted they wouldn't even be able to stand up.

"I'm not sick." he said, glancing at her. Rhyth froze instantly. His gaze was so sad, filled with pain and regret, it made her feel cold and depressed. Something was definitely wrong with Yoyo. If he wasn't going to tell her, she was going to have to find out. "Maybe Tab knows…" she thought, looking over at him practicing. "They've been pretty good buddies for the past few days…"

&&&

"I dunno, Rhyth. He hasn't said anything to me that really sounds like a downer to him." Tab lied, tying his skates tighter. The best thing he could do was avoid eye contact. Guilt slowly filled Tab for this act. Rhyth had never done anything to anyone to deserve a lie like the one he gave, but he had his life to protect and all the werewolves in that pack.

Rhyth looked back at Yoyo once again, "Are you sure? He's really not himself." Tab looked at Yoyo too, "Rhyth, it's gonna be in your nature to worry, but don't. He can take care of himself."

Yoyo glanced over at the two staring at him and arched an eyebrow, wondering what they could be saying. Tab wouldn't be telling anything to Rhyth, would he? No, Tab was good for keeping things low and besides, it wasn't like Yoyo had a choice to trust him or not. He just had to.

Even though Yoyo had hundreds like him, and even Tab knew about the curse, he still felt utterly alone in the world. The impression that the world was big and empty felt more true to Yoyo now than ever before. Could he possibly ever be who he used to be before he was bitten? He was trying his best, but failing so miserably, even Rhyth could tell. Yoyo was thinking too much of what had happened. He was still in a bit of shock.

Perhaps if he went back to the pack every now and then, to check in with them besides the days he had to come. It might help him get through the distress of being a werewolf. At least, that's what he thought. He would be able to get used to being himself and he would return to his old self again. Until he had to let them know he was leaving. He wouldn't be able to avoid that forever. Time was running out.

&&&

Out of pure boredom, Yoyo headed out around eleven thirty to get to the meeting early. Walking down the sidewalk, hands in pockets, he kicked a stone to the side with his skate in thought. He had so much to think about; it was wearing him out and leaving him with nothing _to_ think. He skated around, spending time doing the things he loved. He realized he hadn't sprayed some good art lately, and Shibuya was getting covered up in Poison Jam's scribbles.

He took out a can and spun in circles, walking back and forth, deciding what he should do. He suddenly got an idea from the present. Pressing on the nozzle, he ejected a black upright rectangle. He waved his arm around when he was done, getting rid of the fumes around him. Then, he took another can and sprayed to sideways half moons tilting downwards to each other. He left enough black to make the white look like eyes. He then added two points a good distance away from the eyes, making sharp fangs.

He smiled, putting away his white can and taking out the black one again. Next to the black 'doorway' he sprayed, The Monster in the Closet. Chuckling, remembering that when he was younger he had been afraid of that monster. Now, he wasn't so sure if the boogieman didn't exist. If vampires and werewolves existed, what else was there? He pushed the thought away, happy was still living.

Yoyo shrugged and left the area into Hikage Street. He had a meeting to get to.

&&&

Yoyo tried looking for anyone he knew. The crowd seemed even bigger this time than the last meeting he had seen, but not stayed. Now that most of the crowd had changed into their half human, half wolf selves, they looked pretty much normal. People of different age groups, backgrounds, ethnicities collected in one spot to hear an old man speak. Yoyo figured this meeting must be important.

"Hey Yoyo!"

He turned to see Candy standing next to him. "Oh, hey!"

"Looking for something?"

"Yeah, a place to sit."

Candy smiled, "Follow me. You can sit where the teens stay. We're sort of unofficially sorted." she explained, leading the way. As he followed, Yoyo could see that she was right. The children were grouped together, fighting, wrestling, or talking. The adults were talking of serious matters, with looks of distress on their faces. Candy stopped and Yoyo looked past her. Sitting, were hundreds of teens, talking or dozing off. Among them were Jam, Blaze, and Spike.

Yoyo sat quietly, not knowing what to do since he had never gone to a werewolf meeting before. What could they possibly talk about? He felt a tap on his shoulder, "You the new kid?"

Yoyo faced a boy about a year older in age, with dark hair and piercing gray eyes. At first sight of the teen, Yoyo stared a bit, but shook his head quickly, "Yeah, that's me."

"Sorry, I wasn't actually here when you were introduced to the rest of us."

"Oh, no problem, yo."

Yoyo turned away from him, not bothering to ask his name in return. He was a little creepy, just by looking at him. Yoyo felt a vibe of negative energy pulsing off the kid. That couldn't be anything good. Most of the people there were in their half forms, showing their proud reaction to being a werewolf. Seeing this, Yoyo stretched his fingers out into claws and his ears reshaped. He took off his skated before his feet clawed up and his teeth rearranged themselves.

Candy glanced at him and smiled, "You've been practicing." Yoyo looked at her innocently and nodded. Blaze moved down next to Yoyo, "Hey!" He smiled in return, but was cut off from saying anything else by loud howling that began taking place.

The meeting was about to begin.

In the middle of the center circle, the elder stood without a sound, silencing the entire pack by his appearance. Yoyo glanced around and noticed that everyone's attention was directly on the elder, even Jam's. The old man took a deep breath and sighed, "It has been too long since the day evil gave vampires wings."

A loud rush of mumbling answered this statement.

"And until this day, we have fought vividly, side by side in triumph. But, I feel that the vampires are becoming stronger through a force that I cannot comprehend."

Some of the older members of the pack watched the elder with interest. The elder had never said anything like this before.

"Their knowledge of us has expanded to a limit that has surpassed, even my thoughts."

Jam arched an eyebrow in wonder. How could the vampires know what the elder was going to decide before he even decided? Vampires weren't telepathic.

"They are moving before us to locations that were our retreats in chance that we would ever need them. They are appearing in different times of day, sending their half children to search for us. I do not know how they are getting such private information, but it is becoming more dangerous for us to travel alone. I advise you this: Travel in groups and do not battle with them if you are to acquaint yourselves with one. We need this time to rest and plan, not to fight unprepared. I am sure at this time, they are also planning. Do not doubt them, they are not thick." he ended, looking at everyone.

Yoyo sat in a daze. Feeling like he was in school, he stared out at the lake which only reflected half the moon that was showing that night.

"Now, I'm sure everyone knows why our plans have been so delayed."

Yoyo blinked and turned his attention to the old man. He seemed to have dropped the serious and depressing tone for the minute. A slight smile appeared on his face, "Two nights from now is the harvest moon."

The mood of the pack became happier, with giggles and growls. The children, who were still too young to understand the harvest moon, rolled their eyes in boredom. It was mostly the teenagers and singles who had any reaction to this announcement. Yoyo looked around, wondering what in the world could a harvest moon mean.

"Be sure to be prepared for this celebration, but still be on the precaution. Remember to stay near the site and don't go wandering off into mischief. That is all for tonight."

It was only a half hour after twelve. Yoyo had plenty of time to hang around before eventually heading back to the garage.

"So Candy, who are you spending the harvest moon with?" asked one of Candy's friends, Spice. Candy shrugged, not wanted to answer the question. She had never celebrated it. "But I saw you with some guy before. Aren't you going to spend it with him?" Spice continued.

"What guy?"

Spice regulated her hand to the right height, "About this tall, wears a hat and a blue jumpsuit."

"Oh, that guy…" Candy muttered, noticing Yoyo listening. Her heart filled with joy, for he didn't know what a harvest moon was. He soon made it an issue, "Candy, what's a harvest moon?" Spice opened her mouth to explain, but Candy stomped her foot, forcing her to yelp instead. Spice walked away, growling.

"Before she almost rudely interrupted," Candy started.

"It's a stupid day when we celebrate the moon going orange for the night. It's so _unique_ that it's been taken for the sign of love, so it's like a Valentine's night for werewolves, or a courtship day." Jam intersected, smiling that his sister had been cut off once again.

Instead of bursting, Candy blushed and looked away. Yoyo grinned. At least Tab wouldn't have to worry about rough rejection. "Oh really?" Yoyo answered, holding a laugh in. "So, this is some holiday? And this is keeping everyone here?"

"Yeah, basically, it's stopping us from our plans to get rid of the vampires, 'cause of course, everyone's _gotta_ have their love." stated Jam, looking grim about the situation. "So, who's the lucky girl who gets stuck with you?" joked Yoyo, grinning. Jam gave him a cold look, "I don't celebrate holidays."

As Jam looked away, Yoyo made a face at him, pulling his mouth open, sticking his tongue out like a child. Jam spun quickly, glaring at him. Yoyo snubbed him, crossing his arms. The other teen turned to leave, smacking Yoyo with his tail as he did. A deep growl rumbled out of Yoyo's throat as he clenched his fists.

"What's the attitude for?"

Blaze's voice stood out from the rest of the chatter, sounding caring and curious at the same time. She looked at Yoyo, who immediately dropped his anger, "Oh, we haven't gotten along since day one." She watched as Jam disappeared into one of the shadowed alleys, failing to communicate with anyone. "Jam is…interesting." Blaze said quietly, more to herself than to Yoyo. Her dark eyes shined mysteriously as she repeated herself silently, mouthing the words. "Whatever, yo." Yoyo shrugged, remembering that Jam's past wasn't exactly happy, but it still annoyed him.

"Is it safe to be partying with vampires out to get us?" he asked after a while. The crowd was beginning to die down and break apart. "Well, we always do it, and in a way, it's necessary. We _do_ need a time for ourselves." Blaze explained, keeping her eyes on the alley Jam had disappeared into a while before. "And besides, we're the ones out to get them. They have no clue we're going to attack in three days. You get action as soon as you get trapped with us, aren't you lucky?" she teased, giving Yoyo a playful punch.

"Oh so lucky." he smiled sarcastically.

Near the two, ears picked up on the words Blaze said. Those precious words that one needed for an assignment. The words that meant a closer freedom, a better future, a great life to move into. He couldn't wait.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _Kinda long, yeah I know. A bit of an intro with the vampires, to give you loyal readers a taste. Yes, more will be coming. What's the story without the fight, I know. Review!_


	10. Harvest Moon

**Harvest Moon**

"Trust me Tab, you'd like it! It's kinda like a huge party that they all party about _love_."

"Not interested, not going, not in love!"

Yoyo grinned, his normal trademark. The garage seemed more normal, now that Yoyo had started acting like his old self again. Yoyo threw around a green apple, entertaining him self while teasing Tab. "C'mon, yo! Candy's all waitin' for ya and you're gonna stand her up?"

"She is not waiting for me! We're nothin more than friends."

Yoyo arched an eyebrow, his smile broadening. Tab's cheeks had already reddened and he had more emphasis in his answers. "You know, that's the same reaction Candy had when some girl mentioned you."

"What!"

Yoyo took a bite of the apple, "Nothin'." Tab glared at him and shook his head. "You have to go anyway, the elder gotta tell ya somethin." Yoyo added, looking at his dog-like bites in the apple. Lying was as easy as breathing for Yoyo. It came natural for him, and this time, it was for a good cause. Candy was nice and she was a good friend, and Tab the same. They liked each other. Add together and Yoyo couldn't find any negativity in it. He liked to pair up obvious couples. It made him feel like he controlled something.

For being him, he never had the type of boldness needed in a leader. He usually decided for himself, or followed what he was told to do. But with match making, he controlled the cards, and unexpected events could take hold. That was the most interesting thing about match making. He saw it as a full life time game. But one thing always bothered Yoyo. As a small child cannot play in a game, he felt left out.

No one had ever taken interest in him personally, and he felt closed in all the time. All of the others had someone to confide in, whether it be a boyfriend, girlfriend, or even best friend if they weren't paired off with someone yet. Too many people were entering Yoyo's life now, too many to get to know any of them. No one that he could just hang out with or talk to privately.

Becoming a werewolf was not his plan to get close to anyone. In fact, he felt he was being ripped and pulled from his customary home to be with others like him, only in appearance. He suddenly realized that when the pack would be leaving, Candy would go, too. Tab would be broken, but having someone, even for two minutes, was better than being alone, as Yoyo felt.

Tab stopped and looked at Yoyo, "He really needs to tell me something?"

Yoyo bit off another mouthful of apple and chewed happily, "Yup."

Tab's shyness of girls got the best of him at most times. Yoyo recalled when Tab had a slight crush on Rhyth. Nothing intense or blushing at every look, but it was more of a best friend crush. Tab had talked to her once, privately, and then came out, as if he had never liked her more than a friend at all. Still his usual self, but something had changed, as if he had to stay quiet about something.

Yoyo chuckled to himself as he remembered bothering Tab and Rhyth, singing elementary school taunts, pointing and making the others laugh. In the end, it was always Rhyth who would get embarrassed and look to the floor. Tab never was bothered by it, and brushed it off easily, but Rhyth was more emotional than anyone could ever be. Yoyo smiled as he thought of Rhyth. She was a great friend who would never let you down or let you put yourself down. She always smiled, even if she was mad at someone, she never treated another with that held in anger.

But Rhyth could also toughen up, if necessary. He shook his head as memory served him a time of pain that Rhyth put him through. She had gotten her very first tattoo. She was proud of herself and so was the gang. It was on her check, just under her eye in blue, color of her choice. Yoyo had told her it looked a little smudged and he could fix it up. Licking his thumb, he smudged it across her cheek, making her scream in disgust. Her cheek had been hurting to the previous poking and stenciling of the tattoo on her face, and Yoyo had made the pain worse, besides spreading his germs on her. He had laughed a good riot up until Rhyth clenched her teeth and kicked him in the crotch, forcing him to collapse in pain. "Never again would I piss her off." floated around in Yoyo's head, a promise of his own words.

Rhyth stopped and stared back as she realized that odd being watched feeling was coming from Yoyo. He hadn't stopped staring for a long time and it was locked on her. As normal when she was watched by anyone, her heart paced quickly and she began wondering if there was something wrong with her. A stain on her dress? Messy hair? Forgot to put on make up?

Yoyo blinked twice, taking in that Rhyth was staring back at him. What was he doing? He had been thinking about her. Strange, how his thoughts led him to look at the same person. He hadn't even noticed until his brain kicked into gear. Tab glanced at Yoyo and then at Rhyth before Yoyo broke off the contact. "Eyin' Rhyth?" he grinned, wanting to be able to tease Yoyo for all the times he had teased him.

"No."

"I saw you. And she did, too."

"I didn't know I was lookin at her, yo."

"What."

"My mind sorta did its on own…I was thinking about her…"

Yoyo crammed his mouth shut, only wondering what Tab could register from that. "_Really?_ Hmmm…." Tab smirked, leaning against the kitchen counter. "You know, those old times when I would make fun of you guys…" Yoyo chuckled, seeing the event replay in his mind.

"Sure you're not just growin _attached_ to her?" Tab said with a smile.

"Dude, I don't even know what that feels like anymore…"

Yoyo glanced at his apple and tossed it, heading into his room and closing the door. Tab, utterly confused and bewildered, picked up the apple and threw it into the trash, wondering what Yoyo meant.

Rhyth sat on the couch of the second floor, watching them both. Why did Yoyo seclude himself so much? He was hardly ever like that. After he had gone missing the second time, he had come back a different person, but only Rhyth knew it.

&&&

The sunset slowly melted into the middle of the sky, spreading brilliant shades of yellows, oranges, reds, pinks, and purples. This reflected off the water, and onto walls. The beauty of nature, as Rhyth liked to describe it. Yoyo looked at his watch; he was going to be late. The party lasted all night though. He still didn't want to miss anything he had never been to before. He was known for arriving late at parties, but the causes were usually not his fault. It was always the person he was waiting for.

"TAB!"

"Comin! I had to get my skates out." Tab explained, changing them quickly. Stores didn't let you in with skates on and he had to get some food for the gang. It was his turn to go grocery shopping, a chore he hated with a passion. "Alright, let's go."

"So, what does the elder have to tell me?"

"If I knew, _I_ would've told you, yo."

"Right."

Something about Yoyo's behavior didn't seem right. It was as if he was planning something. Tab was sure to keep a watchful eye out for him. Yoyo skated, feeling as he had before he had ever met Jam and Candy. The days that he used to take off on a race or a dare felt closer to him now than ever before. He needed his skates. It was part of who he was. But, he named himself cursed, like Dr. Jeckle and Mr. Hyde. Normal, happy, _human_ Yoyo at day, and animal at night. Not much of another way to put it, as Yoyo thought.

The cottages and alleyways were deserted and quiet as always. Everything was dark as it was every night, since the day Yoyo came. "What gives?" asked Tab, hesitating to go any further, "I thought you said some party was on?"

"It was…"

Yoyo stepped into the alleyway that he took to get to the center circle. No sound, no movement, nothing. Wait…a faint whisper. "C'mon, yo. I hear something." Tab followed as Yoyo led the way, the sounds coming more mingle-like and party-ish. They finally reached the center circle, where some of the pack were talking, flirting, and anything else along those lines.

Yoyo recognized the girl who had been talking to Candy two nights before. She saw him and smiled, diving into the crowds and coming back with a distraught looking Candy. Candy appeared to have been forced to come. All part of Yoyo's plan. As Spice pulled Candy nearer and nearer to the two boys, Candy tried her best to pull away, but failed. Spice placed Candy in front of Tab, "This boy." she smiled, answering Candy's previous question of what boy is here?

Candy glanced at him and stared to the ground, unable to make eye contact. Tab crossed his arms and slowly glared at Yoyo, whose grin was breaking his face. "Oh yeah, the elder said to behave, Tab!" cracked Yoyo, fleeing the scene. "Have fun, you two!" called out Spice, who was already on her way.

Tab and Candy looked at each other.

"Planned?"

"Oh yeah."

&&&

Yoyo passed random people, wondering what was the point in calling the holiday a Harvest Moon when the moon hadn't shown yet. It was already nine. His stomach growled; a sure sign of needing the food bar. He let his nose do the work in finding the table in the mess of people who were now coming by the bunches, from where, Yoyo knew not.

He piled his plate until there wasn't any more room and sat at one of the tables to enjoy the feast. By first taste, he knew Blaze had cooked it. As he was about to head back for seconds, he saw her serving herself. "Hey!" he greeted, while he stacked his own place for a second time.

"Hi!" she responded, walking back with him to the table. "I still don't get this whole 'celebration' idea, but the food's great!" he admitted, licking his fingers. Blaze took a bite of her food, "Well, here is where you eat. Most of the pack is up on the roofs."

"Roofs? Why?"

"To see the harvest moon!" she smiled as if this was an obvious answer. "When does it come out?" he asked, mouth filled with something made with potatoes.

"In about two hours."

"Two hours. Then why is everyone waiting now instead of eating?"

Blaze giggled, not understanding Yoyo's mentality, "This is a night to appreciate the person you love and spend time with them, not loving the _food_!"

Yoyo blinked, "I knew that!" Blaze watched as Yoyo went to get a drink. Yoyo was interesting, just like Jam, but in a different way.

&&&

The wind spread a cold chill to anyone who wasn't wearing a coat or long sleeved shirt. The temperature had dropped and was still going down as a young girl skated out freely. Her short dress wasn't protecting her any, the wind blew right through, freezing her every bone. Covering up her legs were her long socks, so at least she had that. The typical weather was usually warm, but it would get cool at night, giving the land a chilly freeze.

The girl swerved by parked cars and closed stores. She wondered what her two friends could be doing. They had acted so weird, keeping quiet about some meeting she had overheard them talking about. They also mentioned a lot of names. Candy, Jam, Blaze, Spike, and the elder, whoever that was, were brought up constantly. Could they be involved in another gang? No, not her friends, not them. But she would have to prove it to herself first.

She turned the street into Hikage Street, knowing that's where Yoyo had been sneaking off to in the middle of the night. She knew about his nightly creeps, hearing his door click and his feet pattering against the floor. He always left barefoot, and this puzzled her the most. Where could anyone go without shoes? And he would talk about these visits, where ever he went, with Tab. They both knew something she didn't, and she had to know. She kept this information, this hunch, to herself. No one else had the time to notice changes in their friends.

She was almost there, and she would have her answers.

&&&

"C'mon, follow me."

The two young teens traveled through an alleyway, which most of this place was made of, one followed by the other, all the way to a particular cottage with a ladder leaning up against it. Yoyo climbed up first and then Blaze, due to her having a skirt on. Not too far down, Yoyo could see teens cuddling, hugging, kissing, and even licking each other's faces. He looked at Blaze confused for a moment until she answered, "Ever have a dog lick you before? It's affection."

Blaze sat at the edge of the roof, motioning for Yoyo to sit, too. He did, but hesitantly. He wasn't used to one on one attention. She spoke after a while, "This is where all the teenagers come. Most adults don't watch the harvest moon. And the kids are too young. So, it's basically a holiday for teens."

Yoyo nodded, watching as she inched closer to him, smiling between every word she said. His heart paced rapidly as her words became whispers, and she gently touched his cheek. "I really like you, Yoyo. Since the day I saw you, the day I had to take care of you before you woke up." she whispered, making his ears twitch nervously.

Yoyo looked into her eyes, trying to see if he could see the person she once was. But he soon forgot what he was searching for, as he just stared into her sparkling eyes and she reached over his head, slowly trailing the tips of her fingers on the back of his neck, making his hairs stand up. He felt his cheeks burn up as she wound their tails together and placed her hand into his. She was also blushing, some of her double colored hair covering her face. Yoyo gently pulled the hair away, revealing her face once again, and she looked perfect. She was his. All his.

"Blaze…"

He neared her, not noticing that others not so far away were awed by the moon's appearance, the sudden burst of dark orange meant nothing to him, although it resembled a lot of what he was missing. Something special. _Someone_ special. And now, he believed he had her. Blaze closed her eyes as she tilted her head towards him and he towards her. Their lips barely touched when a gasp broke the moment.

In a flash, the visitor scrambled down the ladder and began skating away. Yoyo immediately jumped to his feet, "RHYTH!" he called out, but there was no sign of life in the empty alleyway. "Not like having Tab know was enough!" he muttered annoyed, rushing down the ladder, leaving Blaze forgotten for the moment.

All that was in his mind was that Rhyth had seen him in his half blood form, and at the rate she was racing off, she was probably terrified and ready to tell the gang. As he ran, he noticed he wasn't going to get anywhere. He tried fours, and ran much faster, but he couldn't find Rhyth anywhere. The way she had run wasn't back to Shibuya Terminal. She had run into the wooded area.

Blaze, alone and forgotten, felt no reaction but pity for the running girl. "I'm sorry," she whispered, but there was no possible way Rhyth could hear her, "I really am."

Yoyo skidded to a halt, "Rhyth? Where are you! Please! Come here, I'm not gonna hurt you, it's me!"

The only answer was his repeating echo. His ears drooped as his heart felt heavy. The pack was going to kill him.

&&&

Hiding in the security of the trees, Rhyth stayed hidden, tears rushing down her cheeks like downpour. She knew something had been odd about Yoyo, but never to think that he was hiding some kind of girlfriend from all of them. But why would he do that? She shook her head, it didn't matter. He was already taken and his heart belonged to another. "I'm such an idiot…" she moaned over and over to herself, driving herself crazy with the chant, pulling at her cheeks.

_Flashback_

Rhyth had always been a very emotional person, even as a young child. When her parents would fight, she would whimper and when her father left her and her mother on their own, she cried everyday, receiving screams and tantrums from her mother that Rhyth reminded her of the pain. A splitting image of her father, a soreness that her mother held against her, making her life a living hell. After a while, when Rhyth couldn't take it anymore, she ran away when her mother took her to the mall to shop. There her mother was, picking random clothes for Rhyth, never letting her decide anything for herself. According to her, Rhyth was as good as a retarded child who would always need someone to accompany her, to make decisions for her, to live her life for her.

She hardly allowed Rhyth to talk, heaven forbid. She would get smacked or have a random item thrown at her. Answering was basic body language. And as Rhyth grew older, maturing in both mind and body, her punishments became worse. For starving herself, for being an idiot, for attracting men's attention, all things she couldn't help or were not true. "I'm sorry…" she would always say, covering her mouth after she had said it.

Slowly stepping away from her mother, she backed into a rack of older women's clothing, hiding herself from any view her mother could have of her. Continuing to push herself back, she crept to the other side of the aisle and ran. Ran as fast as she could, away from the problems and worries she faced everyday, either it be from school about the way she was and dressed, or at home from her mother and all her issues.

Rhyth stood in front of the store she had been in and saw that the one next to it had the nicest and most unique dress she had ever seen. It was part turtleneck, but with no sleeves. If she hemmed it, it would be wonderful. But it was still missing something. She slid into the store, a teen paradise for shopping for the girls who had the money. Quickly, she snagged her size from the rack and grabbed something else while walking around. It was the oddest piece of clothing in the store. A bra that no girl could possibly wear underneath her blouse unless she was desperate. She matched the two together, seeing her own style blooming.

She walked around, seeing if she found anything else. Some long, blue stripped socks. This she liked, but couldn't find any shoes to go with it. As she neared the door, she watched as the clerk was busy with a customer who seemed to be putting up some trouble. This was her chance. She ran out, alarm ringing that the tags had not been removed.

"HEY! GET BACK HERE!"

Running for her life, she raced outside, hoping and praying that she wouldn't get caught. Her life could only get worse. Cars raced across the street, a sure death call if she were to take that road. She paced down the street blindly, trying to get away from the shouts she had heard following her in the stores. A crash into someone blocked her and her items went flying. "Ohhh…" she sighed, rubbing her head.

"What the hell?"

She looked up at a short boy, about the same age as her, strange sunglasses and a hood with tomato red hair coming out like a mane, staring back at her. "What's the rush, yo? Sky fallin?"

"I'm sorry…" she said automatically, gathering her things and looking behind her. She was deathly afraid of strangers from all the stories her mother had told her about rapes and kidnapping, and that it would happen to her if she ever thought about leaving.

"She took things worth over five hundred-"

"We'll find her, don't worry. Call the authorities."

Rhyth's heart paced quicker than any animals could naturally, and she was about to race off again, when the boy's eyes widened, "Cops after you too? Follow me!" he hissed, grabbing her arm and racing. Rhyth had a difficult time keeping up with him due to the fact that he had skates on and she only had five year old, worn sneakers. She suddenly heard gunshots, a fear she never wanted to face.

The strange boy yanked her into an alley and covered her mouth as a few cops ran by. "Shh…"

After a moment, he let her go, "Okay, they're gone. You new around here?" Rhyth looked at him and half nodded. She could definitely fit the part of someone who had been searching for somewhere to stay even though she had only been gone for about a half hour now. Her baggy shirt covered all the way to her behind, where she wore stretchy pants that covered all the way to her ankles, ending in her old sneakers. She had tied her long hair into a pony tail, but after all the running, it was loose and some was hanging in her face. The boy shrugged, "Ooookay, what's you're name, yo?"

Rhyth wanted a new identification than her real name. A name that someday everyone would know.

"Rhyth." she answered quietly. He grinned, making her feel shy, "I'm Yoyo. Headin' my way?" She shrugged, not knowing what way he was talking about, but followed him anyway. He soon introduced her to his friends, whom she found nice, but that was the last time she saw him or them until two years later, when she was officially Rhyth, a rudie with a purpose. He had recognized her from somewhere when she first joined, but couldn't put his finger on it. They both looked different from the last time they had seen each other. She also had a feeling that she knew him, but it was only after they introduced names that they remembered and hugged as if they were old time friends.

_End Flashback_

Rhyth sighed as she remembered the day he had saved her from an easy jail capture. Thanks to him, she became who she was now. And she had always liked him for that and much more, but now that was robbed from her by someone he had only met days before.

Hearing his calls recalled when she would scream her father's name, but received no response. He was saying something about not being afraid. Afraid of what? What could he possibly do that would save a heartbreak?

Yoyo stayed in the same spot, listening for any change in the sounds he heard. A light sigh or deep breath would help him greatly. "C'mon Rhyth…" he sighed, looking around. "This is dangerous…get back to the gang…" he said, hearing his own echo. Rhyth heard this too, but pay no attention to him. As she wiped her face, she heard a crack. Probably Yoyo walking over. Maybe he found her. At the moment, she didn't want to be found. She wanted to be comforted. But by who?

Another crack.

She stood up, ready to look him in the eye and lay it all out.

A screech.

Rhyth immediately lost her courage and backed against the tree she had been sitting against, wondering what in the world that could've been. Large flapping wings covered her view as she tried to race away from this large creature, screaming for help. As she did, she realized herself calling out Yoyo's name.

"YOYO!"

"RHYTH!"

Her voice trailed off as she was carried away by a large, gray, human-like bat that was far beyond Yoyo's reach. She screamed and fought, using all her strength until darkness filled her sight. She stopped fidgeting, and remained motionless in the creature's arms.

And all Yoyo could do was watch.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _Now how did some friends know how this was gonna turn out? (smiles) Went into JGR, but all the same. Well, there are other turns on this ride. Review!_


	11. From Bad To Worse

**From Bad to Worse**

Yoyo stood frozen to his place, unable to believe what had just happened. He looked at the shrinking shadow of the creature in the sky, carrying off Rhyth in the distance. She looked dead as her head rolled around on her shoulders, stabbing a knife through Yoyo's heart as it did. A burst of anger filled Yoyo as he jetted after the creature, running in between alleyways and streets, not caring if someone saw him or not.

Why was Rhyth there in the first place? Did she know about Yoyo's secret? While he raced blindly, Yoyo realized he deserted Blaze. "She'll understand." he breathed, pushing himself forward with force. At that moment, he was banged off course into a building wall. Pain filled his back, but he shook it off, "What was that…?"

"What the hell are you doing?"

"Jam!"

The two stared at each other, Yoyo already standing up, "Move! I don't have time, yo! They got Rhyth! Move IT!"

Jam stood in his place, "Who?"

Yoyo's claws curled into fists, "RHYTH! ABOUT THIS HIGH, BLUE HAIR, BLUE EYES, BLUE DRESS, ALWAYS SMILING AND A GREAT FRIEND! THOSE VAMPIRE ASSHOLES HAVE HER!" Yoyo turned to run when Jam suddenly tackled him,

"What are you doing!"

Jam used all his strength to keep Yoyo down, Yoyo's face shoved in dirt. "You can't go. Listen, I'm sorry they got her, I _really_ am, but we can't follow vampires, no matter who they have! They've probably bitten her already!"

"No, she's still herself! I saw! She just passed out!"

"Yoyo, she's one of them now. There's no saving her. She's dead."

Yoyo stopped moving. The words split through his heart, freezing his entire body with pain. His friend, the kindest girl who walked the earth, was dead? "NOOO!" he yelled, throwing Jam off. Jam chased after him, "LISTEN, THERE'S NOTHING ANYONE CAN DO FOR YOUR GIRLFRIEND!"

Yoyo searched the sky for any sign of life. "RHYYYYYTH!"

His world turned to darkness as a brick made contact with the back of his head.

&&&

Everything was blurry as the room spun in different colors. The young girl sat up slowly in the bed she was in. Rubbing her eyes, she glanced around. She was in some sort of luxury guest room. The floors were carpeted with golden colors and the drapes were a blood red as were her bed sheets and quilt. The canopy's drapes were also scarlet and a beautiful dresser of dark brown wood with a large mirror and chair. The room's large window led outside to a terrace which had a familiar view.

The girl looked around at all these things, wondering who owned this place and if it was all a dream. She didn't know any rich people and the last thing she remembered was being attacked by a monstrous looking creature.

"Where am I?" she whispered, rubbing her head.

"Kibogaoka Hill." answered a soft voice. Rhyth hadn't realized a girl sitting in a chair right next to the grand bed, watching over her. She was about the same age, but something about her was strange. Rhyth shook off the bad notion and smiled weakly, "Um, Kibogaoka Hill? Okay…" She yawned and stared at her hands for a minute, thinking.

"Why am I here?" she asked the girl.

She smiled, "Well, first of all, I'm Ellie." Rhyth stared at her for a moment, "I had a weird dream and you were in it! But…I've never seen you before…so how can that be?"

Ellie grinned, her teeth shining, "It was no dream."

&&&

"Yoyo?…Yoyo?…Yoyo!"

"Not now…I'll be up in ten…"

Tab glanced at the elder and shrugged, "Well, at least he's talking." Candy glared at Jam who was eating some left over cake from the Harvest Moon celebration, "What the hell is wrong with you! You don't hit people with bricks to stop them!"

"It worked, didn't it?" he answered coolly, licking his fingers.

Yoyo turned over and regurgitated some food he had eaten earlier, "Rhyth…" The elder sighed and went to get a mop. "Rhyth?" repeated Tab, looking at him. Jam swallowed the last piece of cake with difficultly. He would have to tell them sooner or later. At least before Yoyo did. "Uhh…I gotta tell you guys something…"

Candy turned her head to Jam, "What is it?"

The elder came in, mop in hand, ready to clean the mess. Jam sighed, "I think you better hear this too old man." The elder glanced at him, staying in his spot. "You know your friend Rhyth?" he started, receiving nods, "The vamps got her."

"WHAT?" screeched Candy, unable to hold it back. "That's why I had to stop Yoyo…he was chasing after them." Jam explained, putting his plate to the side. Tab stayed silent, short of words. The elder put the mop to the side and placed a hand on Jam's shoulder, "Are you sure?"

"Positive, the guy looked ready to kill." he said, eyes moving to Yoyo's limp body. Tab shook his head, "We have to get her back." Candy looked at Tab, wishing he understood the seriousness of it all. "We can't, Tab."

"Why!"

Jam stood up, "She's probably bitten already."

"So?"

"So, she is now an enemy." finished the elder in a dark tone. Tab's eyes widened, "No…" Quiet filled the room to every space available, from Yoyo's light breathing to everyone's hushed silence. Rhyth, one of Tab's closest friends, was now of the living dead and had to be rid of. He looked at Yoyo and shook his head, "I won't help in this."

Jam glared at him, "You keep your mouth shut." Tab's breathing became uneven, "I said I'm NOT HELPING! No matter what, Rhyth's my friend! I'm not gonna kill her off because she's different!" Candy nodded, "I understand Tab, but we're here to help you and everyone else who hasn't been affected by any creature. You need to realize that a vampire never dies! They're evil, all evil, and when they change they turn evil. It's their purpose in life."

Tab backed away, shaking his head still, "No…Rhyth can't be evil. It's not in her nature, and you're _wrong_. How does a vampire see you guys? Were you ever friends with one!" he yelled, storming out of the place. Jam winced as his place crashed to the floor, "He'll get over it."

Candy watched Tab leave the area, fuming. "No…I don't think he will…"

Yoyo opened his eyes, "What happened!" He sat up, leaning on his arm, "Where's Tab? Why am I in a bed, yo?" The elder pressed his finger on Yoyo's head, "You must rest."

His memory shot back into his mind instantly, "Rhyth!"

Yoyo glared at Jam, remembering why she was gone, "YOU!" Jam held a hand up, "Look, I'm just doing my job alright? And you can thank me when you're in the right state of mind for savin' your butt! Vampires fight in groups. Three of them would've torn you apart in two seconds."

Yoyo felt his eyes water up, and he stared down. The anger inside him was too great, but he had to control himself. "It's my fault…" he breathed heavily, cramming his face into his knees. He tilted his head up to see if there was anything to dry his face with, but only faced an empty room.

&&&

Rhyth looked over her shoulder while following Ellie. Hundreds of people were either dressed the same or in the same fashion, and they were all smiling, staring ahead. Rhyth sighed. She couldn't be a vampire. It was just too stupid of a joke.

Ellie did have rather unusual pointed teeth, though. The crowd opened up as the two girls went through, closing as Rhyth passed. Ellie stopped and pulled Rhyth next to her, "Master, she is here."

&&&

Candy climbed to the top of the cottage, where Tab was seated by himself. She wasn't sure what to feel at this point. She just needed someone to talk to. "Hey." she greeted, sitting. He looked at her and said nothing. "I'm sorry." she apologized, hoping to get a reply. "What's happened is in the past. We can't change Rhyth." he said stiffly. "No, I mean, for me expecting you to understand all of this. We've never been in a situation like this before. None of us were sure how to react." she said quietly.

Tab nodded slowly, "Oh…"

"I don't wanna be apart of this either."

"You don't?" asked Tab, glancing at her slightly.

"No. I did meet Rhyth. She was someone no one would want to lose. This just puts stress on everyone and especially you, Yoyo, and Jam." she explained, staring ahead. Only talking was necessary now. "They took her for a reason." Tab pointed out evenly. He knew this was no coincidence.

"Tab, vampires attack all the time. And if they think the person can be of use to them, they give them half life."

"No, trust me on this one. They took her for a reason. I know it."

Candy sighed, "Alright Tab, but I'm telling you what I know."

Tab sat crossed legged, staring out into space. He never had a feeling as strong as this one. "And I'm telling you what I feel."

&&&

The room darkened and the shadow of a large creature filled the space of the front room, but quickly shrank into human form. "Welcome, my dearest Rhyth." he greeted, bowing.

From where she was, she couldn't make out any features, only that he had a deep voice. "I hope you feel at home here. I know this may be a difficult time for you, but in the end, you will understand." He sat on a large chair, facing everyone. They all seemed stony now. Even Ellie. "Now…you have a friend, yes?"

Rhyth pointed to herself in question, "Me?"

"Yes."

"Well, I have a bunch of friends."

"Of course, but you have a special friend."

Rhyth shrugged, not sure of what he meant. "Someone you admire and cherish above all the others, perhaps?" he tried again. She looked to the floor and answered quietly, "I did."

"I see. His name is Yoyo?"

The girl stood perfectly straight in shock. "How do you know?"

"I know all about you, child. Your interests, your activities, your past, your loves." the voice droned, scaring Rhyth more every minute. She felt cold and alone, chills all over. "I've been watching you for some time, studying you. I need someone who can help me, Rhyth, and I've chosen you."

Rhyth shrugged innocently, "How can I help you? I haven't done anything special!" A slick smile spread across the talker's face, "You've treated Yoyo with care and love, you know his life, his ways, his mind set. I need that information to get to him. I'd like to meet with him, but, he won't come voluntarily." Rhyth's expression went grim, "Who are you?"

"I am your master, and from now on, you listen to me, obey my orders, and live how I tell you to."

Rhyth stared at him in disbelief, "What?"

"I'm presuming you don't understand."

A large monstrous looking bat formed out of this man, large black wings sprouting from his back, claws growing out of his hands and large dagger teeth ejecting from his mouth. Terrified, Rhyth shook, glued to her post. The creature walked towards her, "You are part of our link of life, Rhyth. You have advantages that others do not. You are a vampire, one of us, and tied into an everlasting bond. We have a purpose to live, but your dear friend is helping the other side to destroy us. And if he succeeds, he destroys you, too."

Silent tears trailed down Rhyth's cheeks, her heart sinking, "But Yoyo would never hurt me…"

"Oh come here…" the creature said, forming back into his human self. He was about twenty five years of age, short black hair and eyes in such dark color, one could sink into them. He pulled her into a hug, "You have no choice, you must get him, before he gets you." Rhyth looked up, "Why does he want to kill me?"

Her mind swirled as the man stared into her eyes and she began to forget everything useless to him. "Werewolves have been our enemies for centuries. I'm so sorry…but it's a win or lose situation. There's only one way to win…and it's by destroying Yoyo…"

He let go of Rhyth as she nodded, head bobbing like a zombie, "Yes. Of course. Only one way." The others chanted in unison, joining Rhyth's words. "Yes, of course, only one way."

&&&

Yoyo opened the door to his room slowly, making sure he wouldn't make any noise. No one was guarding his door, and no one was watching him inside, so this was a free chance for him to run out. Rhyth needed him. He wasn't sure about what happened with Tab, but he knew he could help. He smelled the air, hoping to catch Tab's scent. Following it, he raced to the cottage Tab was sitting on, and he quietly climbed the side, seeing if Tab was there. He was, but he was talking with Candy. Candy wasn't going to help, that was for sure.

Yoyo snuck through the alleyways, praying that he wouldn't bump into anyone. He was almost out when he collide with Jam. "You don't give up, do you?" he asked, staring at him with his silver eyes, "That must be some girl."

Yoyo hung his head, "She's the closest thing to a best friend I have." Jam sighed, "Maybe we can help each other out…" Yoyo's ears perked up, "What do you got?" Jam glanced around, making sure he wasn't heard. "Somethin weird's going on with the vampires. They know our every move. It's like they're cheating in a life game. Somehow, they're gettin the info on us, and I gotta know how that's happening. The old man won't let us do anything until the time is right and that's been months. By the time we go, the vampires will have moved again."

"So…If we go, we both benefit." Yoyo calculated. "Yeah, but we can't get caught, by them or these guys." Jam announced importantly, pointing out to the woods and to the cottages. "Major hell is what we'll get if we are."

"Alright. Have you been in this place the vamps are chillin at, yo?"

"No…"

Yoyo groaned. They would have to search. "This is the one and only time I'm gonna be willing to help out in your need. You coming or not?" Jam asked, heading out his way. Yoyo thought quickly. His only time to know if Rhyth was okay. "Let's go." he whispered, catching up with Jam.

* * *

**Author's Note**: _If you liked Rhyth, don't worry. She, as you read, is all hypno-like. So, will she fulfill the task that her master gave? Will she destroy Yoyo and his friends? Next chapter…._


	12. In The Maze Of Death

**In The Maze Of Death**

**Author's Note**_: Just a few replies for some readers._

**Someone by the name of D.J. Krazy**: _No I haven't read that, but to clarify for everyone, Ellie is probably a common name for a vampire because one of Dracula's wives is Ellietta. I just chose that name for this story out of random. Enjoy the chapter._

* * *

Yoyo's heart paced quickly, knowing what he was doing was wrong to almost everyone and life threatening to him, but feeling a bit brave because he was going anyway. Jam, on the other hand, was filled with determination, ready to take the risk of his life. The cold whipped them as they went along Shibuya Terminal. "We're going to have to go through your garage." warned Jam, looking ahead. "Be quiet and follow my steps."

Yoyo wondered if he had done this before, but decided not to ask. More important things were on the mind. The lights in the garage were off, a sign that everyone was sleeping. Or should be. Jam looked around, scanning for any life around. He was about to walk when Yoyo pulled him back and whispered, "Can't go that way, my dog is right there."

The light breaths of Potts calmed the air, but warned them that someone was sleeping out in the open. They went on fours to the half pipe, crawling along the sides to get to the stairs of Rokkaku-Dai. Yoyo stepped on the marks that had been there the night Corn was telling his story. He glanced at Jam and put two and two together. He had snuck in that night. That's how he knew about the shortcut.

As soon as they were on the lower floor, bottom of the stairs, they sped down on fours. The faster to Kibogaoka Hill, the better.

&&&

"Uhhh…which one?"

"I'm not sure, but it's around here somewhere."

The two searched for anything unusual, but, so far, had no such luck. "I know it's around here, the scent is odd." Jam stated, sniffing as he talked. "It's not human, but it's not dead…"

Yoyo glared at him, "Don't tell me that!"

"Sorry."

Jam sighed, "Well, I give it to the vamps, they aren't stupid. They know how to hide." Yoyo looked around, curiously. He had heard music from somewhere. As if there was a party of some kind. "Jam…you hear that?" he asked, ears twitching. Jam's ears also twitched, "…Yeah…its music…"

Yoyo smiled, "No one lives around here…"

Jam nodded, "And no one plays it at this time of night."

The two stayed quiet as they walked on tiptoe, hoping the music would never end. Every rundown warehouse's lights were off; no sign of life was heard. "Dude, that is so weird, yo. I know I heard music…" Yoyo muttered, walking behind Jam. "Shut up." Jam hissed, listening, "There it is."

The light melody echoed off the quiet, empty walls of the warehouses, creeping to the boys' ears, sending chills down their spines and freezing them temporarily in place. They walked down the alley, ears perched, the sound leading them to the most rundown warehouse of them all. Sniffing, Jam nodded, "Someone's been around here, and not just vampires…"

Yoyo glanced at him, looking in the window. "I don't see anything." he muttered, wiping the glass. He looked around, but the large room inside was empty and dark, but the music was coming from inside. His eyes roamed around while Jam went to the door to see if it would give way. He was thrown off as Yoyo screamed loudly and jumped back, ramming into Jam and knocking him off his feet.

"Shut up!" Jam hissed, jumping up. Yoyo started at the window and then to Jam, "T-there was a face!" Jam arched an eyebrow, "Huh?" "A face! This girl just popped up and then she was gone!" Yoyo tried to explain, jumping madly and pointing at the window. Jam slowly looked into the window, but there was only darkness and the same room. "I don't see anything." he shrugged off, "You're nerves are getting to you, calm down and _be quiet_!"

Yoyo rubbed his elbow, thinking about the story Corn had told the gang. Maybe it wasn't a ghost that Corn saw. What if it was a vampire? Would Corn be in danger for seeing one? Yoyo followed Jam in quickly after realizing Jam had entered into the warehouse by himself, leaving Yoyo outside. After a few steps, disappointment fell on the two. There wasn't anything there, not even the music.

"Dead lead." Yoyo sighed, turning to go. Jam sniffed, "No…there's someone here besides us. A lot more others…"

Jam walked around, investigating everything. Walking to the back, he took in that there was a large, throne-like chair in against the wall with a small window up top and three steps to get there. Off in the distance, he saw a few doors. Yoyo stood in his place as Jam wandered around, checking things out. He sighed and breathed in deeply. A light perfume caught his attention.

He followed the smell, sniffing as deep as he could, and it led him to a door. He slowly turned the knob and cracked the door to see what was inside. A spiral staircase of dark gothic design.

"What's in there?"

Yoyo jumped, startled at the sudden question. "Oh, uh, stairs."

"Perfect."

Jam opened the door carefully, sure not to make a sound. Yoyo looked over his own shoulder, something wasn't right. He shouldn't get that instinct feeling in this type of place when they just got there. Turning his head to the front, he moved forward, letting Jam enter the small room with the staircase. He touched the railing lightly and whispered, "Cold." Being cautious and silent, he ascended up the stairs to the second floor with Yoyo following.

The two stared in awe. The hallways were as empty as the room downstairs. A large chandelier hung in the center of the hallways, lit by candles, showering the hallways in a dusky color.

"There's gotta be something we're missing…" muttered Jam, shaking his head.

"Why would Rhyth be here?" replied Yoyo, rubbing his head. Another whiff. "I smell Rhyth's perfume. She's here." he whispered, but Jam had heard him. "Watch yourself around here. I'm sure these are bedrooms. Nothin else they _could_ be." he warned, heading down one hallway.

Yoyo raised a questioning finger, but Jam was already too far to see. "How long are these hallways?" he wondered, glancing at each door as he passed in the opposite hallway. "Rhyth…where are you?"

&&&

The room was cold and musty. "Boring." Jam sighed, closing the door. Wasn't there anything worth knowing? And where were all the vampires? They couldn't have found the right place. This one was too empty.

Opening the next door, he stepped in. This room had some elegance in its style. It was definitely bright reds and yellows, but a bit darker and roomy. His nose filled with Rhyth's scent. "She was here." he noted, looking around. The room was quaintly large, he was sure he could find something. A sudden chill bothered him, but he brushed it off and ignored it. He had a job to do.

Looking around, he saw something shine under the bed. He kneeled down and pulled it out. It was a blue skate. Pulling the bed dress up, he saw all of Rhyth's belongings, her skates, clothes, and gear. Where would she be without her things? Her clothes?

Jam quickly shook his head with embarrassment and tried to forget any options that had popped into his head. "She's gone." he sighed, knowing that she was taken already. How he was going to explain to Yoyo was another issue. He opened the drawer in front of him. Something wasn't right. He looked inside, and a single tattered rag was inside. He held it up curiously, wondering what it could be. Sighing, he took a last look at the floor, turning around. He stopped in a sudden jolt.

"_Hello_." greeted a mischievous smile.

&&&

"Hello?"

Yoyo glanced around another empty room. Where was everyone? With every second wasted, he was feeling guiltier and guiltier. "I should've told her about this…" he sighed, not knowing the real reason of why Rhyth had run. "Maybe it'll be better if I _do_ leave Tokyo…everyone's lives would be much better without all this hell."

Wandering aimlessly, he stopped in surprise that he had walked the full length of the hall and was standing in front of a large, floor to ceiling door. Lifting an eyebrow, he slowly pushed it open, peeking inside.

Inside was a beautiful ballroom of cheer and grace, along with those who were occupying it. The room had to be the biggest one in the warehouse, but even in its grandness, it seemed a bit too small for the capacity of the people dancing in it. But even so, the party continued, laughter, joy, and something just wasn't right about any of it.

Yoyo stared as his mind set into what was happening. Why would vampires be throwing a party? Without being seen, he stuck his head out as far as he could to see if he could find his friend. An announcement broke this action, but caught his attention.

The music stopped and everyone stared forward to the front of the room where large windows that showed the water area of Kibogaoka Hill and a grand piano were. A man stood up on a one step platform and smiled, "I am extremely proud to say that our plans are working to their maximum and that there will be no loss in our doing."

A loud cheer rattled Yoyo's hearing until the man held his hand up. "But of course, we could never complete this without our very own, Rhyth."

Yoyo's heart sank as his friend came out from the large mass and climbed up with this man. She bowed in respect to everyone with a smile. The man nodded, "We still have much to do, but proceed with our feast, for it is of good wealth and fortune!" The music resumed and the dancing started up once again. Yoyo backed away from the door and sighed with disappointment. Jam was right. She was with them.

"Who let a draft in?"

Yoyo looked back in panic, forgetting to close the door. Inside the room there was a warming fireplace, but out in the hall where Yoyo was, there was a deep draft. Thinking quickly, he got on fours and raced down the hall. He had to find Jam. They'd overstayed their welcome.

&&&

A deep growl lurched out of Jam's throat, hands as fists and teeth clenched. "Aw, are you going to try to hurt me?" the girl asked, leaning on the door as it closed quietly behind her. Jam watched her as she smiled, her long fangs growing out from her mouth.

His tail caught her eye, "Oh, you're one of those wolf ones…Are you here to help out the cause?" she winked. Jam glared at her darkly, "No. Just the opposite."

The girl sighed disappointed, "That's too bad; you're a cute one, too."

She laughed, her voice echoing by the dozens, and jumped, wings unfolding out of her back. Jam got down on his fours in case he needed swift movement. He couldn't let this one get away. If he did, that would be his funeral. And Yoyo's, where ever he was.

She dived at him; however, he jumped out of the way, doing a roll, getting back on his feet quickly. His eyes didn't move from the vampire, he led himself around with his hearing and smell. She dived at him again, but he grabbed a wing, slamming her to the ground. "So, can I get a name from this vampire slayer?" she grunted, using the other wing to slap him off.

"I'll tell you when I'm sure you're dying." he responded, getting back up and dodging a blow to his shoulder. Another echoing laugh answered this statement. "I've been dying for three years and counting, buddy!" She opened her mouth, her teeth set for his throat, but he kicked her back before she had the chance. "I'll have to end that, won't I?" he growled, ears twitching.

He backed up as she landed gently, and her wings disappeared into her back, "If only it was that easy." she said, smiling. "I thank you for your kind thought, though." She closed her eyes, concentrating, as Jam waited for the opportune moment.

He jolted forward in a full force attack when she suddenly opened her eyes, and he froze instantly. Her pupils had widened so much, it capped her entire eye. "You don't want to do that." she said gently. His head became very light and he shook his head, "No." She walked to the dresser, leaving him standing with a drool. "Why don't you have a seat?" she asked, pulling the chair out for him, "You must be tired."

"Tired…very tired."

He sat, eyes glazed and drunken. She removed his bandana and wiped his mouth that was leaking, "That'll happen." she smirked, but he did nothing in reply. She seated herself on his lap, "So, as I asked before, what's your name?"

"Jam."

"Is it?"

"Uhuh…" she said, gazing into his eyes, making sure she had total control. He had will power. She could sense it. "You have no chance, wereboy, just let go." He blinked once, but remained the same. She placed her hand on his chest, his heartbeat a calm pace. "So you're one of those brave ones…" she grinned, "Yet, you look so tense…" Her hand moved up to his shoulder and around his neck, joining with the other that came shortly after.

"What have you got against vampires, hm?" she asked quietly, nose to nose. "If vampires didn't exist, neither would werewolves and I wouldn't have to deal with the stress." he answered calmly. "So you're after a cure is it?" she smiled. He nodded and returned to his frozen state.

"I know a cure…" she smiled, holding him close, "I'll make a deal with you. One bite, and I'll give you the cure."

She received no reply because it wasn't in the form of a question or order. She thought about this and rephrased it. "Kiss me." Jam's arms went around her and held her closely, pulling her to his face. As she looked at his face, she could feel the life in him, his blood pulsing throughout his body. The perfect snack. As their lips touched and her teeth grew, the door swung open, "JAM, YOU IN HERE!"

The jolt of noise startled the vampire, waking Jam out of the daze. His face scrunched up as he realized that he was kissing her and he pushed her off, "ACK!"

Yoyo stood there with an awkward grin, "Did I interrupt something?" The sound of a following crowd cut off the rude answer Jam was about to give and the two bolted out of the room, leaving the girl. She smiled as she picked up Jam's bandana.

&&&

The two raced down the stairs, competing for the front door. "What did you do!" yelled Jam, kicking the door open. "I left the door open!" answered Yoyo, confused Jam. "You were right! Rhyth's with them…" he continued, depression taking over him.

Jam slowed as he noticed they weren't being chased anymore. "What happened?" he muttered, catching his breath.

Yoyo glanced at him with a grin, "Maybe your _girlfriend_ told them to back off." Jam glared at him and punched his arm.

"OW!"

Yoyo was pulled up by his hood, "If you tell a soul about that, I'll personally _KILL_ you." Jam threatened. Yoyo held in his smile and nodded, "Gotcha." Jam let him go, and he fell onto the concrete. "So…how come you didn't say anything before?" he continued, dusting himself off. "Say what?" asked Jam, wondering what Yoyo was talking about.

"That you had a vampire girl!"

"I DON'T!"

Yoyo grinned at him.

"I had no control, it was all involuntary."

Yoyo's grin widened.

Jam looked at him darkly, "You want that other arm to go numb?"

Jam sighed. He had wanted to find out something about the vampires, but instead he had a blackout and an odd awakening with a vampire. "So…what happened?" Jam asked, looking at Yoyo, "With the vampires?"

Yoyo looked to the ground, "I dunno…some guy was introducing Rhyth to the rest of them and he said something about a plan…"

Jam stared at him and stopped walking, "What plan?" Yoyo shrugged, "I don't know. I was kinda in the shock that my friend's a _vampire_." He continued walking as Jam turned to face the large warehouse that was being covered up by a few others now that they were a good distance away. He sighed and scratched his head, stopping. "Where's my bandana?" He looked up at the warehouse again, heart sinking with dread.

&&&

Yoyo continued around the twists and bends, "Uhh…Jam?" Turning around, he realized he had lost him. "Oh well..., not like he was much help…" he groaned, rubbing his arm. He sat down and leaned against a wall of a building, "I didn't mean to hurt you Rhyth…" he whispered, looking to the sky. He leaned his head on his knees and took a deep breath.

"Yoyo?"

He sat up in a jolt, "_Rhyth!_"

Out of the shadows came Rhyth, wearing one of those outfits all the girl vampires had. "Rhyth!" he jumped up, and she hugged him, "Yoyo! Something weird's going on! I have no idea what to do and I just wanna get back home!"

"But what about all that back there?" he asked confused. She looked at him, "They forced me to agree, _please_ Yoyo, help me!" He looked to the ground, "I don't think I can…" She held on to him, listening to his heart. Yoyo sighed, "But maybe the old dude can. He knows a bunch of things. But I can't take you back home yet."

As Yoyo tried to give an explanation, Rhyth's eyes began to change from their crystal blue to autumn yellow. "You mean the garage?" she asked quietly. Yoyo arched an eyebrow, "Yeah. Let me just get Jam and-"

Rhyth latched on to his hood and swung him against one of the surrounding walls, "There's no need for that." she hissed. Yoyo shook his head from the bang and stared, "Rhyth!"

She grinned, which was odd for her. She was usually with a small smile or a large smile, but this grin cast an evil look on her face. Yoyo's face lost its color as two long fangs extended down like needles, wanting for something to be bitten. "Rhyth! NO!" he cried, backing away from her. Large wings sprouted from her back, flapping a cloud of dust Yoyo's way. He closed his eyes, but still heard the noisy sound of her wings.

She lunged at him, her mind replaying her orders. Yoyo must be destroyed.

Deep down inside her mind, she wondered why she couldn't stop herself. Is this what it's like to be half dead? Her mind had no control over what her body did. At this point it didn't. Not after that man had talked to her, made her feel wanted and special. Then, she felt herself, her person, her personality, being pushed down into the back of her head and her hollow body took the orders like a robot. Rhyth concentrated to regain control over her body. She couldn't let Yoyo die.

Yoyo jumped out of the way, still blinded, but used his hearing to guide himself. "Where's back up when you need it?" he wondered, eyes tearing. He scanned the air, on fours in case he needed to dodge anything. The sky was clear.

"She was just-YAH!"

Out of the shadowed roof, Rhyth dived at him, teeth out and ready, arms out for his body. He jumped, banging into her. "Wake up Rhyth, this ain't you!" he yelled, keeping his weight on one of her wings. She hissed angrily, but then stopped in a jolt, shaking. She looked up, eyes watery, "Yoyo…get out of here! **Leave**!"

In distraction, he let go of her wing, "What's happening!"

"GO!" she screamed, eyes resuming their yellow color. Loud screeching boomed out of the warehouse, a cry for attack. Yoyo left her there, taking her words of advice and ran. He raced by an alley and saw Jam, "RUN!"

Jam began to run, but ran faster when he saw hundreds of vampire shadows filling the sky. "SHIT!"

"I think they're after Rhyth!" Yoyo heaved, daring to look back for a second, seeing that the flock was flying directly over where he and Rhyth had been. They didn't stop running until they were in Hikage Street, near the hideout. They slowed when the cottages came into view and they collapsed, happy to get away from that surprise.

Yoyo rubbed his head, "I have the biggest headache…"

"What for?" asked Jam, getting up and touching the top of his head. It felt odd to not have his bandana. "Rhyth sorta tricked me…" he said, looking away. Jam sighed and shook his head, "Look, she's not Rhyth anymore. You can't believe her when she says stuff. It's not the person you knew. All vampires do are follow orders from their boss. They're hollow."

Yoyo glared at Jam, "Wouldja let me finish!"

"Go ahead."

"She stopped herself from hurting me, yo."

Jam kept his vision on Yoyo, letting him know he wasn't getting it. "She was all hissing and evil-like, but then, she somehow changed back into herself. The Rhyth _I_ know. She ain't made of tin, it was _her_." Yoyo defended, "She let me get away, that's why I think they were after her."

Jam shrugged, not sure if Yoyo wanted an answer to that. "There's no cure for vampires." he noted, starting to walk. Yoyo headed in the same direction. "You know, for as long as I've known her, Rhyth has always looked out for me, making sure I was okay and all that. She's the best friend I ever had and I never realized it until now. Thing is, YOU don't seem to understand that _I_ need to help her. It's my turn to do the right thing!"

Jam paused for a moment, "You did all you can. There's nothin' more to be done." Yoyo ears twitched, "I can get her away from that place, help her out, there might not be a cure, but it's better than being stuck in a prison!" Jam glared at him, "Do you see vampires taking in werewolves for their problems! It doesn't work that way, that's something _you_ need to understand, whether you like it or not!"

The two stayed quiet for a while, walking through alleys, the past flowing into their minds. They reached the center circle, finding two unexpected guards there. "Where have _you_ been?"

Jam rolled his eyes, "Candy, out, okay?"

She crossed her arms in curiosity, "Normally I wouldn't ask, but you two haven't gotten along since you met. There's only a few things I could count off my fingers and I'm hoping it wasn't the first one or you're both dead." Yoyo looked out at the lake nervously, wanting to tell them the information they found out, but having a feeling Candy would rat them out.

"Jam?" she called, waiting for an answer.

"Out."

"Yoyo?"

He clenched his teeth, but couldn't hold it in. "The vampires have some plan against us and they can't do it without Rhyth!" he exploded, shocking them all. Jam looked at him darkly, "Great going, stupid." Candy stared at her brother, "You _both_ went after vampires! And all your talk about how dangerous it is and how it's forbidden!" He shrugged, "Yoyo has a feeling Rhyth can control herself."

Tab grinned, "Told ya, Candy."

Candy glared at the two, "I still can't believe you went alone." Jam sighed, "Get over it; we're out alive, right? And besides, we're home free."

"Not necessarily."

All four teens jumped at the voice, and turned to the elder. "Follow me." he told them, leading them to his house. His expression was all serious and dark. "Who's feelin stupid now, yo?" Yoyo muttered, glaring at Jam.

&&&

Rhyth opened her eyes, the same room welcoming her back. "…Yoyo…" she moaned, rubbing her eyes.

"You're will power is definitely within your hold."

Rhyth sat up, greeting Ellie in the same chair she had been in when Rhyth had first woken up. "What?"

"You're the first one to have broken the master's orders in years."

"But I couldn't do it for long…"

"Still. It's an achievement I'm jealous of."

Rhyth folded her hands on top of her knees, "I can't hurt Yoyo. Even in that…whatever that guy did to me."

Ellie leaned back in the chair, "Yeah, he has total control over us. He can make us do whatever he wants. We have that ability, too, but his overpowers ours."

Rhyth looked around, "Is he mad at me?" Ellie stopped her laugh, "Who? Master?" Rhyth nodded. "Maybe, but he is in a good mood because we have you. He wants to destroy the wolves." Ellie explained.

"I don't want to destroy Yoyo!" Rhyth cried, putting a hand to her head. Ellie sighed, "Honestly, I see no point in these wars against the werewolves. I think they're kinda cute!" she smiled. "But according to what our master says, we need to rid of them before they get rid of us. I've never had a werewolf friend before." she suddenly said, "What's he like?"

Rhyth blinked. Yoyo was a werewolf. All the pieces in her head jammed together faster than she could place them. All his meetings, disappearances, the odd sounds…it made sense now. "I'd rather not talk about him." she sighed, thinking about him and Blaze together.

"Oh c'mon! I know there's something you can say about him! I mean, if you've liked him so long and you still like him as a werewolf, he's gotta be special!" Ellie winked. "Does everyone know about my life?" muttered Rhyth grimly. "No, but I was in the few who had to watch you." Ellie admitted slowly. Rhyth glared at her, wanting this to be over.

"I always thought vampires would be more…scary." Rhyth confessed, shrugging. Ellie nodded, "Me too. But master's transformation is nerve racking." she said nervously, shaking as she did. "Is there a cure for vampires?" asked Rhyth, pleading within herself that there was. "No…" Ellie answered sadly, shaking her head, "It's our life from now on."

"But I have another life, with my friends." Rhyth pressed on, pointing out the window, "My life is there."

"It used to be," Ellie corrected, "Not unless master says its okay and he's never said it before." Rhyth's nerves took over and she began to shake, "Being a vampire is not me. I'm not for killing people." Ellie nodded, "Neither am I, but you don't want to get master upset." She seemed traumatized at the words, looking troubled and worried.

Rhyth stood still, thinking about what Ellie said. "You must get rest, there is an attack tomorrow." she announced, startling Rhyth. "An attack?"

"A surprise attack on the werewolves. You're going to have to go." Ellie said grimly. "It's either you do it, or you get hypnotized into it." Rhyth looked out the window, wishing Yoyo knew this. It was now that she wished she was in his arms, away from this world and in her own.

&&&

"Let me comprehend this. You both went looking for the vampires?"

Yoyo and Jam stood quiet, looking at the floor.

The elder paced back and forth in front of Candy and Tab. Candy's arms were crossed as she looked at them both with a mother's eye while Tab became dizzy watching the elder's pacing. The elder stopped for a minute, hands up, ready to lecture, but began repeating his pacing. He was too stressed for words.

"Why!" he breathed heavily, stretching a hand to them.

"We found out some information that could be useful." Yoyo offered, ignoring the question. The elder glared at him, warning him to be careful in what he said. "He won't listen." Jam muttered, crossing his arms.

"I don't want a _sigh_ out of _you_!" the elder exploded, pointing at Jam. Jam glared at him, growling. "You! I'm sure you're the one who thought of the idea! You never listen to what I order. You could have died! You risked another's life in your careless move!" the elder fumed, towering over Jam.

He, on the other hand, exploded in return, "MY IDEAS WORK AND HE WANTED TO COME, I GAVE HIM FREEDOM OF CHOICE! YOUR ORDERS SUCK AND WE'LL EVENTULLY DIE BECAUSE WE NEVER DID ANYTHING LIKE THE OTHER PACK!"

The elder's voice became dark and dangerous, "You think you can run this pack better than me?"

The other three watched this argument in fear of what might happen. Jam glared at him, "No." This answer surprised everyone. "But I know what works for me, and it's not you." The elder growled, "Well, until my decisions work for you, you'll have no say or input on anything. You need to learn respect, discipline, but most of all, you have some maturing to do."

Candy slowly looked at her brother, knowing this was going to set off a bomb in him. He got up in a flash, picking up the elder's desk in no time and flinging it across the room, scattering anything that was inside all around. The desk bashed against the wall, a leg breaking off and Jam kicked open the door, his anger releasing at anything that crossed his path. Candy took a few steps, but the elder held her back, "Leave him."

She went back to her place and sighed, looking at the mess. Her brother could be dangerous when he was angry. She slipped her hand into Tab's for comfort. He squeezed her hand, letting her know things would somehow get better. Yoyo winced as another leg broke off the desk. "Um…can I go now?" he whispered nervously.

"You said you had some information." the elder responded. He was interested in what Yoyo had to say. "Well…me and Jam went to this warehouse and they were all in there! Hundreds, dancin' in a ball room, yo! Then, they called Rhyth up and this dude said he had some plan and he couldn't do it without Rhyth."

The elder rubbed his chin. "This Rhyth, she was your friend?"

"She IS my friend." Yoyo corrected.

"I believe they took her for that reason."

"What!"

"How serious is your relationship with her?"

Yoyo blushed, unexpecting of the question, "Uh…well…I never thought of it more than just friends, yo."

"Yet, you have many friends in your "gang", yes?"

"Yeah."

The elder began pacing again, "There must be something different about her. It wouldn't make sense any other way." Yoyo shrugged, "She's nice?" The elder shook his head, "No…she knows something." He turned, "Would she know that you're a werewolf?" Yoyo rose up his hands, "I'm innocent."

They both looked at Tab who shook his head, "I didn't say a thing." As Yoyo and the elder went back to thinking, Tab recalled one thing he knew that the others didn't. Candy looked at his expression, "Tab?" she whispered. He glanced at her and sighed. "There _is_ something about Rhyth that's different than the others."

The elder looked at him, "And that is?"

Tab winced, knowing he would be breaking his promise to Rhyth, but maybe this was the key to their answer. Tab glanced at Yoyo. "Uh…Rhyth…sorta…likes ya, Yoyo."

Yoyo stared at him, "You serious!"

Tab nodded and the elder snapped his fingers, "That's it. She must then know all about you! You're interests, your strengths and weaknesses, the important things. She was a close friend. I feel this is a trap." the elder ranted on, but Yoyo paid no mind to this.

Yoyo looked at Tab who seemed disappointed in himself for letting out this secret. "How long?" he asked. Tab sighed, "Since before even I had liked her." Candy looked at Tab curiously who shook his head, answering her question beforehand. Yoyo's ears drooped. He felt like such an idiot. "So…Rhyth likes me…" he said to himself.

Tab smiled slightly, "Well…_like_ is a light word for it…"

Yoyo stared at him, cheeks flushed. His heart ached, wishing he would have hugged Rhyth for every hug she gave him or every smile she shared with him. Did it have to take until now that it was too late? Yoyo sighed and stood up, "I'll be back." Tab and Candy glanced at each other, knowing Yoyo was having mixed feelings now.

Yoyo seated himself on a roof and thought about Rhyth. Thinking how it wasn't fair on either side that he never knew or never took the time to. He was too caught up on matching others that he never thought about himself or the signs of who might like him. Rhyth was always worried about him. "Clue one." he muttered, rolling his eyes. There were so many other signs that he had ignored because he was too busy feeling alone.

A thought suddenly struck him. "Rhyth didn't run because of me…" His eyes widened and his chest tightened, "It was because of Blaze…" Not knowing how to further feel sorry for himself or Rhyth, he let out heartbreaking howl that rattled even the calm waters below.

&&&

Jam looked up from the cloth he was examining. It was Yoyo. He shook his head and went back to his work. Another howl. He crushed the tattered rag in his hand, wishing Yoyo would shut up. He knew Yoyo was feeling confused and many other emotions, but he needed to learn how to ignore them. Jam had learned to long ago. You couldn't be emotional if you were part wolf. It would kill you.

Jam held up the piece again. This could be the key, at least something that would be worth the searching and life he risked. He would show the old man. He would show them all.

* * *

**Author's Note**_: Long chapter! Wow, I need to start typing faster. So, now that Rhyth is part of the vampires, but still a misfit, what will she do? Is Ellie a friend or foe? And what will come from the argument between the pack's leader and a known member?_


	13. Ambush

**Ambush**

The sun never showed its usual face on the garage. Instead, gray clouds bringing in the draft of the night before swept over everyone, freezing them a bit. Corn munched on his breakfast, waiting for his toast to pop out of the toaster while he thought about the weird happenings in his gang. Maybe he was overreacting. Odd things happened once in a while, but nothing so long that it would change the rest of the gang. Nothing like that had happened yet, but still, it was a thought to keep in mind.

A crack to his left grabbed his attention. Yawning and looking like he was coming out of a hangover, Yoyo slumped over and grabbed Corn's toast as it popped up. He said nothing as Yoyo ate his food and dunked his head in the sink, turning on the faucet, letting it wash over him.

"You okay?" Corn finally asked after looking at Yoyo's face. He had dark circles under his eyes and looked so worn, it was scary. "I couldn't sleep." he answered, yawning. Corn arched an eyebrow, "Since when?"

Yoyo grabbed a stool and leaned his head on the counter, closing his eyes. "I just can't."

He slipped off for a moment in a half conscious state. Corn shook his head as a bit of drool seeped from Yoyo's mouth onto the counter. "Rhyth…"

"Rhyth?"

Waking up, Yoyo shot up in his seat, blushing, "What?" Corn gathered his things, "You just said her name."

"Did not, yo."

"In your sleep."

Yoyo looked around and then finally at her room door. "What about Rhyth?" asked Corn, getting back on subject. "Nothin'." Yoyo answered, wiping his mouth.

"You sure?"

"Mm-hm." mumbled Yoyo, blushing a bit. Corn gave him a curious look, "You know where she is?" Yoyo sat on his hands that began to twitch, "No, why?" Corn glanced at her door, "She went out yesterday and hasn't come back."

"Oh. No, haven't seen her, yo."

Corn stared at him, giving him a silent interrogation. Yoyo shook his head, making the water driplets from his hair whip all over, "I haven't."

"What were you doin' yesterday?"

"Hangin' out with Tab."

"Yeah, I noticed he was gone, too. Who else was with you guys?"

"No one, just us, yo."

"You sure you weren't with anyone else?" Corn asked seriously, "Jam or Candy, perchance?"

Yoyo's heart rammed against his chest. Lying had never been so hard for him in his life. "What makes you say that?" he grinned nervously. Corn opened his mouth to say, but Beat opened his door, right on cue. "Thank God." sighed Yoyo, slipping off his chair and sliding into his room to change into his regular clothes.

Beat made his way over, glancing at the drool left by Yoyo on the counter, "Aw, gross man!" Corn leaned on the counter in thought. If Yoyo wasn't going to answer, then Tab would.

&&&

Tab jumped off the street rail in Dogenzaka Hill. He had just gotten there. He sighed, glancing up at the horrible sky and wished it wasn't going to rain. At this point, he wasn't sure what to do anymore. How could he keep a secret like the ones he knew, but act like he never knew anything happened? He felt like strangling Yoyo for following Jam and Candy when he did, but there was no use in it. He had to deal with what he knew.

He tagged up a few walls, smiling. This was where he belonged. He looked over his shoulder. The regular people of the street just passed by or stared quickly. In the mess of all of it, he could feel someone watching him. He tossed the empty can and skated around, going into the sewers and the alleyway.

Whoever was following him also wore skates, as they made the jumps only rudies could do. He ended up back in the beginning of the sewer, skating around until he reached the statue of a goddess. He turned, but no one was there except the regulars. Rubbing his neck, he turned, bumping into someone.

"Corn!"

He dragged Tab passed the boards of advertisements that would give them isolation from everyone else. Sitting on the edge, facing the dead end below, he aimed his question at his brother, "What's going on with Yoyo and Rhyth?"

"Whaddya mean?"

"You know what I mean."

Tab sat next to Corn, praying that he wouldn't mess this up. Usually, Corn got his answer out of Tab when it was one on one. "Lie no matter what…" Tab chanted in his mind, shaking his head, "No, I don't."

Corn looked at Tab, trying to figure out what was happening. Was Tab trying to cover up something important for Yoyo? "Where have you and Yoyo been going?"

"Nowhere by plan. It's just where ever we end up."

"And…you and Rhyth are pretty good friends. What's up with her?"

"She's just…going through some difficult times." Tab answered somewhat truthfully. He stared down, wondering what Candy was doing. He was getting into a habit of doing that, thinking of Candy at the most peculiar moments. Probably because she wasn't all that normal herself, and that seemed to be the best thing about her in Tab's eyes.

He blushed slightly, but continued to stare down so Corn wouldn't see. Corn noticed this act, "You're not…still hooked on _Rhyth_, are you?" Tab shook his head loosely, "Nah, she's got Yo-_oooo_…" he trailed, smacking his head. Corn smiled, "So what's going on between them two?"

Tab covered his face in his hands and screamed a muffled yelp of stress. He wasn't supposed to let that out! He looked at Corn hopelessly, "You swear you won't tell! That was supposed to be secret…" Corn tilted his head slightly, "Is that why Yoyo's been off lately?" A plan quickly developed in Tab's head, the wheels turning at a rapid speed, "Yeah! Only, he just found out that Rhyth likes him, but he doesn't want anyone else to know, you know? She's liked him for a while now, but he feels kinda embarrassed that he never found out before and she's taking some time to collect herself and now he's just thinking of the best way to bring them together!" he practically screamed.

Corn covered Tab's mouth, looking around, "Take it easy!"

Tab grinned, "Sorry. It's just, something important to them and I don't know what to really do so…"

Corn shrugged, "Leave it to them unless they ask otherwise."

"Right." Tab agreed, beaming that his quick thinking worked. "So, that's why you two been hangin' out so much." Corn figured, with Tab nodding. "And Yoyo's been moody and Rhyth sorta worried, okay, I get it now." Corn smiled, thinking he knew what was finally going on. "Yeah." said Tab, getting up.

"I was just skatin' around, trying to get my mind off it. I don't wanna interfere with their problems." he continued. Corn nodded and also stood. Now that he had the information he wanted, he could go relax. "I'm headin' back to the garage." he noted, skating off. "Kay, see ya." Tab waved off, grinning as soon as Corn was out of sight.

"PHEW!" he sighed, leaning on the wall. Nothing like a good lie to stress out the morning. "I hope he doesn't mention anything to Yoyo…" Tab muttered, thinking about what Yoyo could get from that information. They were leaving later on, for their attack. Tab whipped out another spray can and pressed on the nozzle.

&&&

"Wait! What!"

"I told Corn you and Rhyth are having some issues with each other in a relationship that you just found out about. He was getting' curious and I had to say _something!_"

Yoyo sighed, "I guess…but you didn't mention-"

"Anything that he didn't need to know." nodded Tab. "Keeping this a secret is getting harder by the day."

Yoyo rolled his eyes, "Tell me about it. I've been out almost every other night. I can't be going to the same place. I'm tellin' ya, yo, I'm gonna hafta go."

"It was on my conscience that you were leaving and it would hurt Rhyth, but now that she's part of this…well…" Tab shrugged. He wasn't sure what to say anymore. "We know how to keep my secret down, but what do we say about Rhyth if she doesn't…" Yoyo started, but began to look down. "Come back?" suggested Tab quietly. Yoyo nodded and sighed.

"Then we'll have to say she left for good."

Yoyo looked up sadly, "And we'll hafta say that for me too, yo."

&&&

Rhyth paced back and forth in her room. She had to get out of here. She needed to apologize to her friend for something she couldn't describe. She needed her home.

She glanced in the mirror, seeing her blurry reflection again. She stared deep into the mirror, jumping at the sound of a voice.

"How many times are you going to do that?"

Rhyth searched all around the room, but couldn't find anyone. "Ellie?" she called questioningly.

"Up here," she called, making her way down the wall and onto the floor. Rhyth stared at the ceiling and shook her head. "What's the deal with the mirror?" asked Ellie, looking into it herself. She received the same blurry reflection of herself. "If I'm a vampire," Rhyth started, shuttering at the words, "Then why can I see myself? I thought they didn't have reflections?"

Ellie nodded her head to the glass, "Full vampires don't. We're only half. If you're born one, then you can't have a reflection or go outside in the light. They live on blood. We can drink it, but it's not completely needed."

Rhyth looked at Ellie nauseously, "Yeah, about that…I was thinking about becoming a vegetarian…" she smiled weakly. "You'll feed on your own or by instinct. It's our way of life." Ellie stated. Tears formed in Rhyth's eyes, "I don't want to be this way! There has to be a cure!" Ellie watched Rhyth cover her face in fear and sorrow. She had pity on this girl. All of the bitten vampires reacted this way, talking about their past lives and loves, but Ellie had never stayed for long to hear what they had to say.

"There _is_ a way…" she started, but stopped quickly. Such things weren't to be said at all.

"There is!" Rhyth asked excitedly, "Then what are you waiting for!"

"It's forbidden to say." Ellie said in a whisper, checking to make sure they were alone. "If master is to be destroyed, all his children will die, which means his full children will die and be gone, but our half vampire selves will be gone too, leaving our living human sides to be free."

"So…the werewolves have been trying to kill him all this time?" asked Rhyth, now knowing the reason for the fighting. Ellie nodded. "They are the only ones who can kill him, but he already has a plan to counteract them."

Rhyth's eyes widened, "We have to help them!" Ellie looked at her strangely and began laughing hysterically, "Are you nuts! What vampire helps out their enemy? Besides, you're the key to our success!" Rhyth glared at her, "Well this _key_ is gonna have a few twists to your plans."

Ellie's laugh subsided, "Are you planning against us?" Rhyth looked at her, determination in her eyes, "Why do you want to stay this way if there's a way that you can be the person you once were?" Ellie rolled her eyes, "Trying to get me on your side won't work and anyway, to your question, because my friends have moved on and so has my family. This is my life now."

"What if your life could be changed? Just new friends and a better reason to live?"

"I've done that already. That's why I'm here now."

"But you don't want this. We both know that. We can both get out of this, and go back to ourselves. Think about it."

Ellie sighed and shook her head, "You're on your own for your crazy idea. Trust me, master will find out soon enough. He knows everything." She left the room without another word as Rhyth sat on the bed, thinking of how she could put her new talents to work.

&&&

Jam sat on one of the roofs, glaring at the others who had already gathered in the center circle and wondered if any of them felt the way he did. Outnumbered and right about their ideas. He shook his head as the elder came into view, chatting with the few who had already come prepared for the surprise attack against the vampires. Jam had a feeling something wasn't going to turn out right, but he left that to himself. His say didn't matter anymore.

But, keeping his thoughts in could hurt his friends. He sat alone on the roof, trying to decide what to do. His tail wagged slightly in thought and his ears twitched a bit.

"Hey, when are ya planning to get ready?"

Jam turned a bit, facing his sister. "I'm not going."

"What? Why not!" she asked, a bit shocked. Fighting vampires was something he was always looking forward to. "My say doesn't count anymore remember?" he muttered, watching the old man. "So? That doesn't mean you can't help!" Candy told him, seating herself next to him. "Candy, my say IS what I do. If one of them is crossed out, then both are." he growled.

Candy met Jam's glance and sighed, "Look, he was only upset because you and Yoyo went after them and we're not supposed to do that. You of all people should know that, considering how long you've been here." Jam's shoulders stiffened and he said nothing to this. "Something bad's gonna happen." he whispered.

"What do you mean?" asked Candy, tilting her head. "A plan. What plan? What could they be thinking? I think this night is gonna turn out wrong. I'm getting a _bad_ feeling." Candy placed her hand on her brother's shoulder, "If you feel strongly about that, you should tell the elder." Jam shook his head, "He won't listen. Did you not _hear_ him when he said I was cut from saying anything!"

"But Jam, this is about everyone's safety!"

"So was the last argument."

Candy's ears drooped a bit, but lifted when she saw that Yoyo and Tab had arrived. "They're here!" she said happily, wagging her tail. Jam watched her as she stood up, ready to head down. "Geez, I haven't seen you this happy in ever. What? Tab ask you out or something?"

Candy's cheeks began to burn, "N-no, I'm just…"

"Crushing on Tab major." Jam finished with a smirk. Candy looked away, ignoring her brother, "Are you sure you're not coming?" He nodded, "Yeah." As Candy climbed down the ladder, she sighed, wishing the elder hadn't found out about Jam and Yoyo's trip. They were going to need all the help they could get tonight.

&&&

"What do you mean Jam's not coming!"

"Just like you heard."

Yoyo shook his head, "Trust me when I say I'd never thought I'd say this, but, we need him!" Candy sighed, "He's not coming." Tab glanced at the elder, "The argument, huh?" Candy nodded, "Yeah, it took a toll on him."

"Alright, alright!" the elder called in, and everyone responded by heading over to him, "The time has come." The younger half bloods howled excitedly while the older ones waited for them to shut up. As the crowd got bigger, Blaze found Yoyo and smiled. He waved and she came over, standing next to him. "Sorry for ditchin' ya before…" he whispered quietly, not wanting to disturb the elder's explanation. "Don't worry about it." she winked.

He smiled, happy she wasn't angry at him and went back to listening to the elder. He wasn't intending to get killed on his first fight. Candy tried to listen, but her nerves were getting to her. This would be the first time she went into a fight without Jam. He always had her back if she was down, who would be backup now? She couldn't trust Yoyo entirely. He had his own butt to watch out for. And she couldn't bring Tab on this, so that option was out.

She glanced at Blaze, thinking "No." as soon as she did. She just couldn't bring herself to trust her. The elder soon finished his speech with a howl that everyone joined in, except Candy. They started to head off, and she glanced back at the roof where she knew Jam was watching her. She was about to join the rest, when she was pulled back by Tab. He looked at her, "Please, give Rhyth a chance…"

Candy hung her head, knowing she couldn't do that. She wanted to, she really did, but it would risk too many things. He pulled her into a warm hug, "Be careful." She blushed and nodded, "I will." The pack was already a good distance away when Candy caught up to them.

"Awwww, what a Kodak moment, eh Candy?"

She looked at Yoyo, "What?"

Yoyo glanced back and grinned. Candy sighed, "Well, you know already that I like him. No need to try and ask me with teasing." Yoyo smiled, "Was that so hard?" Candy glanced at him grimly, "Actually, yes." He nodded, "Now if only Tab would admit it."

Candy blushed and a small smile emerged. They soon entered the woods, and the pack hushed. "Hey, I remember this place!" Yoyo said a little loudly, receiving strange stares from others. "Eheheh…" he smiled, waving at them. Candy pulled him to the side, "Nobody needs to know about your little adventure." Yoyo nodded and stayed quiet.

Those who hadn't already began shifting into their half blood selves, if not full wolf. They began sniffing the air, sensing the tension. The elder, who was leading them stopped. "Something…is not right…" he whispered more to himself. "What's wrong?" asked Spike, looking around. The elder looked behind him and his ears twitched, "GET DOWN!"

Most of the pack did, but some few remained up, wanting to know why. Yoyo was one of them, looking to the sky to see if the vampires were coming. He didn't see anything. The rest of the pack looked at the elder, wondering what he was doing. An earsplitting screech broke the stare and went to the tree tops, where hundreds of flying dead suddenly shot out from. Yoyo's eyes widened, it had to be every single vampire he had seen dancing in that humungous room there to attack. In a quick scan, he couldn't seem to find Rhyth, but soon forgot that when some guy with eyes dark as night and fangs flew at him, making him back up and trip.

Blaze knocked him away and helped Yoyo up, "You can't stay down for long!" she warned, attacking another one not too far off. He took the advice and slashed some vampire in its wing, stunning it for a moment. Candy was pinned to a tree by one, his teeth out and ready for a drink. She was already losing air and her face was turning deep red, close to purple. She let go of her air, her head becoming dizzy, and the world leaving her. She felt the grasp loosen quickly and she fell to the ground, gasping for air. "C'mon Candy! Get up! Breath!" she heard a familiar voice order.

Her brother's face soon came into focus. "Jam?" she whispered as she took in deep breaths and felt her neck. "We got a fight to win." he answered with a smirk, running into the scrap to help. Candy smiled and joined in.

Yoyo shook his head after being bashed into a tree. "Damn trees!" he growled, rubbing his head. A dark shadow covered him from the moonlight, and he looked up slowly, knowing it wasn't an ally. "You must be Yoyo." the vampire smiled, his teeth glowing. Yoyo got up quickly and tried to scramble away, but the vampire's large wing smacked him back against the tree, "I've heard a lot about you."

Yoyo smiled weakly as the large claws grabbed him through his neck, "Really?" he wheezed. "Yet, you seem like such a non-threat. It's a wonder." answered the creature. "Allow me to introduce myself," the monster said in a voice that didn't match him, "Montibish Gladulikar," he bowed, still holding Yoyo at neck, "at your displeasure." With the sense that was still going through Yoyo's mind, he wondered if the thing had sneezed while saying its name. Gladulikar tossed Yoyo down and shrank human size, fixing his jacket. "I'll be back for you, boy." he announced, heading around the fight.

Yoyo shook his head slightly, it hurting from the ramming, and wondered where he was going. He stood up slowly, about to follow him, when he was yanked back. "Yoyo!"

He stared, "Rhyth?" She was about to hug him when he pushed her away, "_Oh_ no, last time you almost killed me!" Tears formed in her eyes, "Last time I was under another control. I'm sorry, Yoyo!" she pleaded, lip trembling and real fear in her eyes. "It was so hard to stop myself…" she shivered sadly, "But I knew you'd be at this thing! Our master is planning to kill all of the werewolves, and you're one of his main targets!"

Yoyo rolled his eyes, "I'm wanted in two different types of worlds now!" Rhyth shook him, "Yoyo! This isn't a game! You could really lose your life here!" He turned to walk off, but stopped. He sighed and looked back at her. The Rhyth he knew as his friend. "Is it really you? The _you_ you?"

She smiled her innocent smile and he grinned, "I knew you guys weren't empty robots!" He hugged her and she blushed a bit. "C'mon, yo! That freak dude was after someone else. It's not only me!" Yoyo said, grabbing Rhyth's hand. Both of them ran back to the fight, only to find dust being thrown in the air from others rolling around and blood staining the ground from injuries.

Yoyo looked around, still being hidden in the trees. "Oh no…" he whispered, realizing the werewolves were losing. "I gotta find the old man!" he said, breaking off into a run. "Yoyo!" Rhyth called, following him. Her wings took her over the fight, keeping a good bird's eye view on Yoyo's traveling. If anyone was to attack him, they'd be sorry.

Yoyo halted quickly. The elder was fighting with Gladulikar, and losing. The creature whipped the old man across the battlefield, alarming some half bloods who had seen. Jam jumped out from the main brawl and leaped at Gladulikar, growling. He threw Jam off, but that didn't stop him from keeping the old man safe. While he distracted him, Yoyo quickly bounded to the elder, helping him up, "Dude, you gotta stop this! We're losing!"

The elder sighed, "I cannot. If we give up, then they will finish us off…we must fight until death." Yoyo shook his head, "But this isn't the final battle! This was supposed to be a surprise attack!"

"We knew about it."

The two looked up as Rhyth landed gently, helping the old man also. The elder, alarmed at this action, growled and was about to attack when Yoyo held him back, "No! She's my friend. It's okay!" The elder glared at him, "You befriended the enemy?" Yoyo shook his head, "No! She was my friend before any of this happened! This is Rhyth!" The elder glanced at her, "So, you're the one he mentions constantly…"

Rhyth looked at Yoyo with a quiet smile, but it quickly vanished as Jam was flung into her, ramming her down. She stared at him, wondering if he was going to bite her. "…Rhyth!" he muttered, remembering her. She waved nervously, "Hey." He got up, "Uh oh…Get him outta here!" he yelled, pointing at the elder.

Candy slammed into a tree, right in front of them, passing out. Jam's eyes widened, "Candy!" He hurried to her for fear that she was dead. He carried her body to where Yoyo and the others were, "We're gonna die…" he sighed, laying her down. The elder, breathing heavily, stared up at the large shadow approaching them.

"Now, old man, is your time."

Yoyo and Jam stood in front of them, growling, on fours, ready to attack. Even still, they wouldn't be able to hold the monster off. "Idiot dogs." grinned Gladulikar, "You think two of you can handle me when not even your entire pack and hold down a quarter of my people?"

He knocked them out of the way and lifted the old man by his shoulders, leaving his neck free. His teeth glistened, his eyes narrowed, and his horrid, monstrous form took place once again. Jam shook his head, "NO!" but three vampires held him down, preventing him from doing anything. Rhyth knew there was only one thing to do. She tugged Yoyo, "Bite me." He stared at her, "What!"

"Bite me!"

"No! I'm not gonna bite you!"

Gladulikar brought the old man nearer, his thirst quenching. Yoyo wasn't going to cooperate, so she would have to force him. Pulling him by his hood, she meshed their faces together in a kiss, startling him. For a moment, she actually kissed him, releasing some of the long lasting love she had always had for him, but then remembered that others were in danger. She continued to kiss him, holding his face close to hers, then stabbed her tongue into one of his fangs, cutting herself.

Yoyo drew away, spitting out blood that had seeped into his mouth in disgust while Rhyth stood frozen to her place with an odd look upon her face. Her mouth was burning, searing pain filled her throat, traveling throughout her body, forcing her to collapse.

"NOOOOOOO!"

Gladulikar stopped his action and looked in Rhyth's direction, seeing her wither down. He screeched, and the vampires joined in, scratching at their faces and covering their heads. Altogether they zoomed into the sky, screaming, sharing the pain that Rhyth was suffering and disappeared into the darkness. The elder rubbed his neck, wondering what had happened, and stood up slowly.

Wounded and weary warriors howled in high spirits, not noticing the girl who was suffering on the ground accompanied by one of their own. "Rhyth! _Answer_ me! C'mon! Get up!" Yoyo screamed, shaking her. Her eyes remained wide and glassy as she struggled to breath. The elder crept to Yoyo's side and he looked up, "We gotta help her! She's dying!"

The elder picked up his cane and sighed. Yoyo shot up angrily, "SHE SAVED YOUR LIFE AND YOU'RE GONNA LET HER DIE!" He picked up her struggling body, "Well!" The elder turned away from him, ending up in front of Jam, who was holding his sister. Jam glared at him coldly, indicating for him to do something. "If you let her die, then you deserve to get ripped up by those vampires…" Yoyo snarled, turning his own way.

"Wait…" the elder said quietly, "Hurry, follow back. She doesn't have much time."

&&&

Candy opened her eyes slowly, "Owww…."

"Candy?"

She turned her head slightly to see Tab sitting in a chair next to her. "I hurt all over…" she breathed, rubbing her head. "You got a deep beating…" Tab explained slowly, not wanting to worry her. She looked around, "Jam?"

"Right here." he answered, walking to her. "What happened?" she asked, eyes closing.

"We were fighting remember? The vampires."

She tried nodding, but it only filled her head with pain, "Yes."

He brushed some hair out of her face; they had taken out her pigtails so she could rest comfortably. Like that, she resembled a hurt seraph, peacefully regaining her energy. She winced, "I can't move my arm." He nodded, "It's broken, but don't try to heal it now. Do it tomorrow. You need to rest now."

She smiled, "Okay…where's everybody?"

"They're with Rhyth."

"Oh…" she trailed off, falling into a deep medicated sleep. "She'll be fine." Jam smiled, looking at Tab, "Thanks for watching her." Tab smiled back, "Anytime." He went back to Candy, leaning on his chair, not wanting to disturb her. Jam nodded and opened the door, leaving the room quietly and going next door to where Rhyth was being kept.

He opened the door, odd remedy smells burning his eyes and giving a strange taste to his mouth. His eyes went to the back of the room, where Yoyo was seated, crumpled with his knees pulled in and his face buried in them. The elder was leaning over the bed, pouring a gray liquid into Rhyth's mouth. She choked on it, sputtering and coughing. Jam helped the elder sit her up since she couldn't do it on her own. Some of the liquid ran out of her mouth, but most of it went down. The elder looked into her eyes, "Don't struggle to do anything but breath."

Hearing him, she did this, but it was a complicated thing to achieve. "This must be how asthma feels…" one of her few thoughts were. "How do you know how to cure a vampire from dying?" whispered Jam, so Yoyo wouldn't hear. "When you're as old as I am, you learn many things." the elder answered, busy with trying to keep Rhyth stable.

Rhyth squeezed her eyes shut, "Yo…yo…" she gasped, trying her best to speak. Her throat burned once again as it had when she was first experiencing the pain. "No, no, don't try to talk!" the elder scolded, looking worried. Yoyo, who had heard his name being weakly called, jumped to his feet in a flash, "What happened!" he asked hurriedly.

"Nothing, she is doing well, but she's calling you. Perhaps you should stand with us." the elder suggested. Yoyo crept to the side of the bed, almost afraid of looking at Rhyth. She was pale, probably from being in her vampire form, but she did look deathly ill. Her eyes, which looked a little scary due to her pupils being outsized over her eye color, looked over to Yoyo. In respond, Yoyo's gut felt drilled through, wishing she had never done what she did.

In the moment, there was a knock on the door and Jam went to the door. "What are you guys doing here!" he asked in a stern voice, letting them know he was getting angry. Yoyo looked over for a quick moment, noticing it was Tab and Candy. "We wanted to see Rhyth." Candy said slowly. "I told you not to use self-healing!" Jam growled.

"It was just a little bit, no more, I promise." she whispered, leaning on Tab. "You need to be resting!" he hissed, about to grab her arm, but she pulled away. "I want to be here, too!"

She looked up at Tab, "And so does Tab. He's been her friend before us; she's like family to him. He deserves to see her." Jam looked back at Rhyth and sighed, "Fine." He went to get more chairs as they entered and shared the seat Yoyo had been sitting in. "How is she?" Tab asked, the question Yoyo had been afraid to inquire.

"She's doing fairly well for her being in state, but she's over-resisting in fear." the elder answered. Candy smiled, "In English, she'll be okay, but her healing is being delayed because she's stressed."

Yoyo held her hand and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb, "It'll be okay…just rest…" Rhyth kept her watch on his face for a few minutes, then closed her eyes and relaxed herself. The elder smiled, "Finally. She'll be better in the morning." Yoyo kneeled beside the bed and rested his head next to her hand, "You sure? She won't…."

"No, she's fine."

Yoyo's mood lifted a bit, and he wagged his tail. The door opened with Jam holding four chairs. Tab stood up and placed one chair next to Candy's, and she leaned on his shoulder, half asleep. Jam was about to close the door, when he sensed something outside. He went out, closing the door quietly behind him.

His ears twitched, listening for any strange movement of any sort. He went around the cottage, to the shadowy side where he had first sensed the peculiarity. He sniffed, and picked up a scent right away. "Who's there?" he called out, daring whoever they were to answer.

A few crunching sounds of leaves thudded, a mistake of the stranger. Jam kicked it to the side and made it look like he was going back into the cottage, when he swiftly spun around and landed on fours, hastily shot at the person. He landed on them, pinning them down. "What are…_You_!" he said, eyes widening and growl deepening.

The stranger smiled, "Don't get me wrong, you're cute, but we just met." she answered, pushing him off. She stood, the moonlight hitting her, and he recognized her as the one he had encountered when he snuck into the warehouse. He glared at her and stood, ready to fight. "Oh don't waste your time," she blew off, passing him. "I'm here for Rhyth."

"She's not going anywhere." he snarled, grabbing her arm. "I'm not _taking_ her anywhere." the girl hissed back, "I'm here to make sure she's okay. I saw what she did."

He stood awkwardly, not exactly knowing what to do now. Was she a friend of Rhyth's or just walking danger? She continued to talk to him as she turned the corner, "If I knew you were friends with Rhyth, I wouldn't have almost snacked you down on your little visit." she disappeared around the bend. Jam began to follow, keeping an eye on where she was going. "So, sorry about that," she said, as if she was waiting for him.

Like she already new the place, she opened the door with no hesitation, "I'm Ellie, by the way." Jam said nothing as the rest stared, unexpecting of another vampire. "Oh, she's sleeping…" Ellie whispered, backing away. The elder glared at Jam, waiting for an explanation. Ellie noticed this and smiled, her fangs sticking out from the other evenly rowed teeth, "Oh, Jam here told me Rhyth was here and I could see her since I'm one of her friends."

Jam looked at her stunned and he shook his head immediately, "No I-"

"He can be so sweet!" smiled Ellie, sitting in one of the empty chairs. Yoyo turned a bit, looking away from Rhyth for a moment and realized who Ellie was. His glance went to Jam who was looking at the elder. "More vampires?" the elder asked angrily.

"It's only me. Rhyth kind of made me think of a few things and I sided with her on it. She just doesn't know yet." Ellie explained, looking at Yoyo, "Hey I know _you_!" Yoyo smiled weakly as she continued, "You're that other werewolf that had broken in that night! You walked in on us." she finished off, looking at Jam with a rare smile. Jam glared at her, "Can you shut up?"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "Well, if you're gonna be _nasty_…" She suddenly pulled a black bandana out of her pocket, "Oh yeah, I think this belongs to you?" she grinned, handing it to Jam neatly. Candy stared as he snatched it and sighed, tying it on his head. The elder rubbed his eyes with his hand as he wondered how he was going to announce that there were two vampires staying.

Ellie smiled at Tab, "Hi!"

He smiled back nervously.

"So you are…?"

"Tab."

"And you?"

"Candy."

"And him?"

"That's the elder."

"And green?"

"Yoyo."

"Okay…" Ellie nodded, memorizing the new names. Jam went to Candy, "You need to go back to bed." She shook her head, "But I wanna stay here!" The elder patted her arm, "It is time for everyone to head to bed, there is nothing more to wait for. She will wake in the morning."

Tab stood up, helping Candy up and took her back to her room. Jam stretched out, his human form taking place. He passed Ellie, glancing at her, "You'll need a room, right?" He asked in a way that she didn't need to answer. She stood up and followed him, taking one last look at Rhyth. "I hope she's okay…" she sighed, catching up with Jam.

The door opened a crack, "I'm heading back to the garage, Yoyo. I'll hafta tell Corn some story. I'll be back in the morning." Yoyo looked up and finally stood, "Yeah…" Tab closed the door and began to skate back to the garage, hoping Rhyth would be fine in the morning. The elder patted Yoyo's back, "You have courage, young one."

Yoyo glanced at him emptily and went back to watching Rhyth. "I still do not understand your way with her, but your bond is strong. You are one to be admired. Do try and get some rest. I assure you, she will be well." he said, leaving. Yoyo looked around, seeing no one was there. He grabbed a chair and sat, leaning forward, not wanting to miss a moment of her. He crossed his arms in front of him and leaned his head on them, to take a minute's rest. Stress had taken a toll on him. He shut his eyes, meant for only a split second, but lasted until morning.

&&&

Rhyth opened her eyes to the sunrise shining in the room and on her face. She turned her head on her pillow slowly, realizing that she wasn't alone. She lifted her hand gently, being able to, and touched his ear, feeling its animal-like shape. He quivered and lifted his head sleepily, only to rest it back down in a more comfortable way. She smiled, feeling much better than she had before, but disappointed that her plan had not worked. Yoyo wouldn't let it work. And they were still in danger.

&&&

Jam glanced over, watching food fly around from the person he was seated next to. Ellie chomped the food down with no problem. "Wow, I didn't know this glob would taste so good!" she complimented, licking the dish clean. "Thanks." smiled Blaze, taking the plate, still awkward that it was a vampire complimenting on her cooking. "I wonder if Rhyth's awake yet…" she thought, looking at the others who were eating.

"Yoyo and Rhyth must be pretty tight on camaraderie, huh?" she asked Tab, who had also finished. "Well, actually, Rhyth is the one who's been after Yoyo for a while, he just found out recently." Ellie smiled, "Aw, that's sweet."

"Especially taking the fact that she tried to kill herself for you guys."

Those who were eating stopped and stared at Ellie. "What?" she asked, looking down at herself, seeing if something was on her. "She what!" yelled Candy, who had finished healing herself before she came. Her arm was fully functional now. "You guys didn't know what she was doing?" questioned Ellie.

"I passed out." Candy answered, keeping her watch on Ellie. Why would Rhyth commit plain suicide? It wasn't normal. "She was trying to get rid of herself. That way, master wouldn't be able to finish his plan in getting rid of you guys."

Tab smiled slightly, "That's Rhyth. She'd always put others before her." Jam's mind went to work. Now that they had Rhyth, would the vampires come looking for her? Would they need to prepare for an unexpected fight? Ellie wouldn't know, she wasn't back with the other vampires yet.

"You're quiet." Ellie said with a smile, poking his arm. "Just thinking…" he shook his head, "But it doesn't matter." Candy sighed, "Jam, if it's important, tell the elder." He glared at her, "I only helped him yesterday because there was a life on the line. It's different now, everything's normal again, and position hasn't changed."

"But your feeling about yesterday was right! You said something was going to happen! Something bad!"

"I know…"

"Whatever you're thinking could help us Jam, don't be selfish!"

He glared at her, "You and I both know he won't listen to me."

"But he'll listen to me!" Candy replied, getting up. "Tell me what you're thinking, it'll work." Jam stayed quiet, thinking over this new idea. It might work, but what were the odds that the elder would take precautions? To Jam, it didn't add up.

&&&

Rhyth sat up, not wanting to wake Yoyo, but doing so. He had looked to peaceful went he was sleeping. Now, he looked exhausted and deprived. "Rhyth?" he managed to say, lifting his dreary head. She helped him sit up and hugged him, "Why did you save me?"

He stared at her, unbelieving of what she had asked. "Are you serious?" he stuttered, rubbing his eyes. "You were dying, yo!" Rhyth nodded sadly, "I know…but it was the only way…"

"…only way?"

"He's using me to get to you, Yoyo."

"What?"

"Through me, he'll hurt you, and weaken you and everyone else. Then, when the time is right, he'll attack, and destroy all of you…"

Yoyo's eyes widened as she pulled her knees up with the bed sheets, leaning her arms and head on them, "I tried to stop that yesterday, but it didn't work…" Yoyo looked at her grimly, "I'm not gonna let you kill yourself, yo. And next time you wanna include me in a suicide attempt, don't? That wasn't such a great surprise."

Rhyth blushed, "Well, _that_ was the only way! I asked you to bite me, but you said no!" Yoyo opened his mouth to speak, but he thought about this. "I guess you're right…but I don't wanna kill you!" he said, getting up. "And don't think about asking any of the others!" he growled, "I'm not letting them hurt you!"

Rhyth blinked, "But Yoyo, it's me that's the problem!" Yoyo shrugged, "So? Beat says I'm a problem, but you don't see me trying to have someone kiss me to death." Rhyth winced at his remark, "This is _different_!" Shaking his head, he denied it. "No Rhyth, you're staying here safe, until we can go back to the garage. Tab's been telling Corn that we're having relationship problems, yo." he grinned, taking it as a joke. Rhyth blushed, "Wait….he told…?"

Yoyo realized what he had said, "No, wait! Don't get mad at the guy…!"

"HE PROMISED!" she exploded, forcing Yoyo to shrink back and say nothing. "I can't believe he told! How long have you known!" she aimed at Yoyo, eyes filled with fury. "Only a few days! He had to tell, yo! We needed to know why the vampires would take you!" Yoyo squeaked, covering his head. Rhyth calmed down for a minute, "They took me because of that?"

"I guess they think you know more about me than anyone else." Yoyo shrugged. "Well, I do." Rhyth smiled, cheeks reddening. "What's my favorite snack?" he quizzed. "Cake mix, cookie dough, and fries in ice cream." she answered immediately. He rubbed his chin in thought. "Favorite color?"

"Green."

"Best thing about me?"

"Personality and mind."

While he asked this, he paced back and forth. He stopped, looking at her, "Really? I'd think it would be my outstanding good looks, but we can go with personality…" Rhyth rolled her eyes and he turned around with a wicked grin, "My _best_ friend?"

Rhyth blinked, "Potts?"

She wasn't exactly sure. Yoyo treated everyone like a best friend. Laughing, he made a buzz noise, "Wrong!"

"Beat?"

"Nope."

"Tab?"

"He's on his way up."

"Jam?"

"….uh…."

Rhyth named everyone she could think of, getting them all wrong. He stood there, changing from half blood to human and human to half blood for entertainment. He seemed to have fun rejecting every answer she had. She sighed and was about to get up, "I don't know then…"

He stopped fooling around and helped her up, "You named everyone we know but one person?" She shook her head, "I named _everyone_!" He smiled, "Not everyone. Where are you going, yo?" Rhyth walked slowly to the door, "Going to get something to eat."

"They're bringing your food in here. It might look like a nasty old blob, but it's good. Trust me."

She sat on the bed once again, "When are they bringing it?" Yoyo shrugged, "I dunno." She yawned, thinking of the riddle Yoyo was toying with. "Clue?" she asked, confusing him for a minute. "Oh, the friend thing? Um…well…they understand me and know what I'm going through."

She pouted in thought, "Candy or Jam?" He shook his head, "You said them already." Rhyth's heart cracked a fragment, thinking about that girl she had seen the night she was taken. "I know who it is…" she whispered glumly. Yoyo watched her actions, arching an eyebrow. "Then why do ya look so…disappointed?"

Rhyth forced a smile, "I-I'm not…I'm happy, I really am."

He rubbed his elbow, wondering why she was so unhappy over something nice. As he was watching her the night before, he realized that he looked forward to when she would force him to fess up about what would bother him or scare him. It was the attention he never gained from anyone else. The special attention that could only come from her.

"Rhyth-"

The door whacked open, revealing Ellie, Blaze, Jam, and Tab. Blaze held up the tray, "Breakfast time!" Jam sat in the nearest chair, "Candy's gonna come by later, she's in training." Rhyth nodded and smiled at Tab who waved, "So, you're not dyin' on us, right?" Rhyth giggled, "Not today."

She froze as the girl she recognized from that night set out the legs of the tray and placed it in front of Rhyth. "Enjoy!" she said with a smile, leaving as soon as she did. Rhyth poked at the food and sighed, watching Blaze enter the 'kitchen' from her window. She snuck a peek at Yoyo, but regretted her action as soon as she did.

"Rhyth…that night…when you got taken…" he started awkwardly, feeling guiltier by the minute. She waved it off, "Forget it." "No, I just wanna get this straight…it….I didn't…she just wanted to…"

"Its _okay_, Yoyo." she said stiffly. He crossed his arms, "Not with you, its not." She ground her teeth, "Can we drop it?"

"Look, I just wanted to apologize for that day."

"Why?" she asked, glaring at him. Was he getting enjoyment out of making her pain increase? They seemed to have forgotten the other three that were there, watching them as if they were in a soap opera of some kind. "Because it's my fault you're the way you are now!" he said, sitting.

"I'll take the blame for my own mistakes, thank you."

"Rhyth, she's a good friend, if you just give her a chance."

Rhyth glared at him, nails digging into her palms, "I don't _want_ her as my friend. I don't _need_ her as my friend. I have enough _good_ friends _without_ her!" Yoyo looked at her, steamed, "I'm just trying to get you two to have some peace between each other! We don't need another war here, yo!"

"I'll be fine as long as she stays to herself. I get a bad feeling from her, and it's already landed me here." she said coldly. Yoyo stood up angrily, "Well, you shouldn't have been following me that night!" Rhyth glared at him, "Well, if you would've told us where you were going, I wouldn't have followed you!"

"Well, I couldn't! _You're_ the one who should've stayed to yourself!"

"If you would only think how _I_ do for once, you'd see why I followed you!"

"_I_ was only spending some time with a friend!"

"Well, you could've told me that before I had to find out myself!" Rhyth said, crossing her arms disgusted. "Well, if you would've actually learned to grow some nerve and tell me how you felt, you wouldn't be in the predicament you are now!" he snarled, leaving the others staring. Rhyth remained quiet, silent tears welling, ready to flow down her cheeks. Tab shook his head slightly, watching Rhyth. He was the only one who knew how Rhyth really felt about Yoyo. She had been so nervous when telling Tab, she started to cry at first, begging him not to tell. Her nerves had the best of her, and prevented her from letting Yoyo know, and this, she was extremely sensitive about.

"Oh, he went too far…" Ellie whispered, and both boys silently agreed. Yoyo left, slamming the door on his way out. As soon as he was gone, Rhyth's emotions exploded, leaving her an empty shell. Tab sat next to her and she held onto him like a weaker sister, seeking the comfort of a brother. He held her close, "Don't worry Rhyth, he's just stressed."

"It wasn't my fault?" she sobbed, her vision becoming blurry. "Not at all, he was being a royal pri-ow!" Ellie started, but was interrupted by Jam's pinch, "He's lettin' the animal get to him. He's forgetting how to control it…"

Rhyth looked at him confused, wiping her face with her hands and taking a choppy deep breath. Tab rubbed her back, "You're okay now?" She sighed, "A little…" Ellie walked to the door, "That kid needs a little one on one discipline." Jam nodded, "You're right." he pulled her away from the door, "But not from you. I'll be back."

&&&

Yoyo stared ahead into the sky, wasting time as day, "All I try to do is keep some equality between 'em and she blows up in my face!"

He had climbed up on the usual place for thought, the roof. He used his half blood features to get there, but he was feeling pretty human right now. Blaze really had an affect on Rhyth. She was jealous to the max, but Yoyo couldn't help that, could he? It wasn't like he shoved her in Rhyth's face. And he didn't tell the gang about her because…she was a werewolf! That was the reason…right?

Yoyo sighed and grumbled some thoughts around. "Had a feeling I'd find you here."

He jumped, spinning around to find Jam there with his arms crossed. "You sure know how to put on a show." he said quietly, sitting down. Yoyo sat too, "I forgot you guys were there, but it had to be said."

Jam looked at him seriously, "Really."

This simple statement made Yoyo feel uneasy. "_Yeeeah_? She was all gettin' in my business, yo. I did say it was my fault she's like that, but she wants to blame everything on an innocent person!"

"Well, to my understanding, she ran because she saw Blaze, not you."

"She saw Blaze…_and_ me."

"Thought so. And Rhyth likes you, so she ran because she was heartbroken and she unfortunately gets caught by vampires who make her one of their own, but she doesn't want to work for them, so she tries to mess up their plans by getting you to bite her, almost dying for you and the rest of us so we could live in safety, meanwhile, she goes through loads of pain and a near full death experience, but still, by miracle, survives.

Yoyo stared at him. "How do you know all that?" He glanced at Yoyo, "I have a sister and parts of the story, I witnessed. Still, she's given a lot for you. She doesn't have to like Blaze, even though you do. She's kinda hurt by the fact that you do, if you haven't noticed."

"Blaze's the one who likes me! She was trying to kiss me…I just…sorta…" Yoyo stumbled, trying to find the right words, "…fell into it." he sighed. He changed into half blood form, "I first thought she ran because I was like this…" he shook his head, "She didn't even notice…"

Jam stood up, "Well, while you feel sorry for yourself, I better get back. And just something to think about, I think you owe her an apology. It's cruel to make a girl break down over _you_, and it's pretty disturbing, too." Yoyo looked at him sadly. "Any girl who cried that much over you has gotta like you a lot, and I'm thinkin' cause it's the regular side, but I still don't get what she sees in you." he shrugged, climbing down.

Yoyo scowled, but then thought about the option. "Me neither…" he agreed, answering to himself.

&&&

Rhyth sat in the center of her bed, alone, thinking over what had happened a while ago. Five minutes before Yoyo had stormed out, they were talking as normal everyday friends. Then it suddenly blew up into a catastrophe. Adding to that, she let herself cry out miserably in front of everyone. Feeling ashamed, she had rejected the idea of a tour around the place she was staying at.

She wouldn't be able to stay around the others for long without feeing embarrassed, wanting to shrink away. She tried thinking about something else, like what the gang might be doing. She dropped the idea when she realized her watch was gone. The girl stepped off the bed and opened a drawer, feeling bored to do so. In there she found books with rather strange titles, _How to Raise Your Pup_ and such books were located in the drawer.

A soft knock on the door startled her as she was about to open _Moonlight_. She dropped the book back into the drawer, slamming it shut and jumping back onto the bed as the door opened. It was the elder, striding in with his cane. "Good morning, child." he greeted in a grandfatherly way. The way he smiled and walked reminded her of her own grandfather, when he was still alive and the pain from the argument evaporated for the moment.

"Hello." she smiled, sniffing from her cry before. The elder looked at her innocent face and wondered what could have made her so depressed looking. "Are you alright?" he asked, taking out a jar from one of the other drawers in the desk. She nodded to his back, but then said, "…no…"

He turned, sitting and placing his cane to the side. He handed her the jar that was now filled with a pink liquid that smelled creamy and nodded, "Drink it. It will store your energy back. Then all that must be said shall."

Rhyth looked at him and took a sip, liking the taste and finishing it off. "Now, why are you not alright?" he asked, taking the empty jar and washing it out. Rhyth shook her head, not wanting to talk about it. The elder placed the jar back into the drawer and sat, "You are a very lucky child, you know."

She stared at him for a minute, wondering what he was talking about. "He would not let me continue on without being assured that you would live."

Rhyth looked at her hands, unable to look the elder in the face.

"Forgive me, but it is not our way to help vampires. They are the enemy, and it is most exceptional that you and the other vampire are here resting. He even changed how some others felt about vampires, or at any rate, _some_ vampires. The boy is strong in spirit and, strong in heart." the elder finished, smiling.

Rhyth sighed, having the same feeling that she knew who Yoyo liked, and it not being her only deprived her from happiness. She shrugged, still staring at her hands, "That's what friends do…he would've done it for anyone…"

"Those strong in spirit dash to do anything, no matter how difficult the task may be. Those strong in heart also dash as the spirit, but fulfill the task out of love."

Her cheeks reddened at the thought of Yoyo saving her out of love, and she liked the idea. She smiled at the elder, who smiled in return and reached for his cane. "He is on the roof, if you wished to know." The old man walked out slowly, closing the door behind him and leaving Rhyth in wonder. Her heart paced quickly as she thought about meeting Yoyo where he was. Was he still mad? What would he say? What could _she_ possibly say after that spat?

She daydreamed about watching TV and fighting against the cops. She giggled as she thought about Hayashi in paint after Yoyo and Beat had circled him, spraying globs where ever. Yoyo was like a kid then. An overgrown kid. Now he was thinking more clearly about the future and the results of it. He was thinking about the safety of his friends and the fragility of life. He needed someone to talk to, and maybe that someone was her.

&&&

Yoyo blinked and stood. He was going to go back down and talk to Rhyth. Starting with an apology, as Jam suggested. He realized something he had never realized before. He was now actually included in his own game. The game of matchmaking. A very confusing and dramatic type, but none the less, and it felt bizarre. He didn't really know what to feel, but he knew what he had to do. He sighed a breath of decision and turned, freezing in place.

There she stood, looking as innocent as an angel, but battling a deadly creature within her as he was. She looked up at him from staring at the floor, feeling his watch on her and their eyes met. Yoyo felt accountable as ever, wanting to tear himself apart and mail the remains off the planet. Was it guilt he was feeling? Or anxiety? Or both?

Rhyth drew in a breath, and wanted to be the first to speak, but she was cut off from saying anything as Yoyo started, "I'm so sorry, Rhyth…" His face scrunched a bit in a caring, pitiful way, wanting her to know how rueful he was. She nodded, looking back down. It was good enough for her, but Yoyo didn't feel that way. He passed her, about to head down, "I never deserved it, yo, but thanks for being my friend before, anyway. I just wish I could pay it back."

Rhyth snapped out of her daze, "What?"

Yoyo stopped climbing down and climbed enough so he could see her from the side of the wall, "I said I wish I could pay back everythin' you ever gave me." Rhyth smiled a bit, "You've done that and more."

He shook his head, "Nah, I only did what anyone else would do."

He began to descend, but Rhyth started again, forcing him to climb back up, and this time, he sat on the edge. "I may have been in excruciating pain, but I wasn't totally dead. If I recall correctly, you were the only one who paid mind to me while everyone else was cheering." she said, crossing her arms as a chill passed by. "And you picked me up and yelled at the old man to help me while everyone else stared and thought you were crazy for wanting me to live. You were the only one who stood up for me when I was in need, not anyone else." she finished, smiling warmly at him.

Yoyo met her glance and a small smile came about, "I do what I can, yo."

"What you did was what only a true friend would do, Yoyo, and that's what I've always considered you." she said as he stood up. He looked at her, somehow knowing how she was feeling. "True friend, eh?" he grinned as she nodded. He looked out at the center circle, seeing that there was a crowd gathering. His vision returned to Rhyth, "Does that have the same meaning as best friend, because…that's what I've always considered you." he said shyly.

Rhyth's eyes widened a bit, "_Me?_ But…I thought…" she looked away, thinking of another, and Yoyo knew exactly who. "Rhyth, Blaze is a good friend and she's nice and all…but she's new to me and I don't know her that well…"

"You seemed to know her well enough…" Rhyth muttered in Yoyo's ear reach, but he ignored this. "Look," he said, face to face with her, "That night was confusing for both of us. I wasn't sure of what I was doing and she likes me, like you like me. That's what she told me. I just reacted that way because…I've…I've never…been told that before." he finished uncomfortably. Rhyth listened intensively. "I know it's hard, but…can we just forget it happened?" he asked, wondering if it would be possible.

Rhyth shook her head no, "I'm sorry, but I can't…it's kind of hard to forget. You, her, the kiss…" Yoyo blinked, "We never did. You kinda interrupted." he grinned, feeling oddly happy about that fact. The two stayed silent as the crowd below grew and the mumbles were now light roars. Yoyo looked around awkwardly in the silence and then asked quietly, "So…we still friends?" giving out his hand. Rhyth stared at his hand blankly and shook it, at first not sure of what to do. "Of course, Yoyo."

He watched her as she slowly let go of his hand and returned her arms around herself. Wishing he could do more, Yoyo sighed, "Looks like a meeting…"

Rhyth looked from the gathering to him, "Are these what you would sneak away for?"

"Yeah. There's a bunch of them we all have to go to, yo. That's what Jam and Candy were trying to get to when they first came into the garage." he said with a smile. Rhyth nodded understandingly and remained quiet. Yoyo walked to the edge and put a foot over, "Are you comin', yo?"

Rhyth stood quiet and Yoyo felt at fault for this. He didn't really feel forgiven. Not like he had earned it. He looked down and began climbing down when Rhyth appeared above him, "Wait for me!" A small smile emerged from Yoyo, "Just follow me when we get down. It's like a maze in these alleys, yo."

They quickly made it to the center circle, where mostly everyone else was. Tab was there, standing not too far off. The two went to him, "What's this all about, yo?" asked Yoyo, looking around. Tab shrugged, "I dunno, the old dude came out and everyone followed."

"Where're Jam and Candy?"

"With the old man."

Tab glanced at Rhyth and then Yoyo, wondering if everything was okay between them again. Not knowing how to ask, he remained quiet, but Rhyth smiled at him when he looked at her. It was a smile of reassurance. Nodding, Tab also looked around for the others. The three pushed their way to the front, watching as the elder nodded as Jam explained something that no one could hear except the elder because of all the loud talking.

The elder looked up and then at Candy. He shook his head sadly and turned to the large crowd that had gathered, somehow knowing he was going to tell them something. The pack hushed in silence and the elder spoke, "My children…we have some alarming news that has just recently been brought to my attention."

The pack waited with Yoyo, Rhyth, and Tab, wanting to know what could be so important that brought fear to their elder. He clicked his cane against the ground and held on to it with both hands. "We have ourselves a traitor."

* * *

**Author's Note**: _Okay, a lot for you guys to chew on, but I think its all fitting into the cliff hanger of who done it. So who is the traitor? Will the werewolves find out before it's too late? Will I let you wait for a very long time to find out? (never) Review! _


	14. New Plan

**New Plan**

Everyone stared at the old man as he looked at them with the same amount of shock on his face. A traitor to his or her own people was a disgrace and most of all, dangerous.

"Who!" someone yelled out from the pack. Many agreed with this question, wondering who it could be. Others looked around, thinking that person could be right next to them. The elder nodded, "Let me start from the beginning. I am sure you all know we have some unexpected visitors here." he addressed, glancing at Rhyth and Ellie, who had suddenly appeared next to Candy.

"But it has been brought to my attention that a valuable clue was found when two of our more devious members went out for a stroll…"

Yoyo grinned, looking at Jam who was, as always, with a serious face. The elder held up a piece of cloth, we are not exactly sure of _who_ they are, but it is definitely a werewolf's scent. We are the only pack in this area of the world, which can only conclude that there is a traitor amongst one of us."

Jam crossed his arms, looking out into the crowd. He knew that scent, but he couldn't remember it off the top of his head. But it was definitely someone who lived with them. Rhyth thought about what the elder had said. What if that person they think was a traitor was really doing what Jam and Yoyo had? Could they really judge on suspicion? She didn't feel right about the unfairness, knowing how it felt firsthand.

The elder sighed and looked at the lake, "In all of my years, I have never experienced all that I have now." His elderly eyes moved over Yoyo, Rhyth, Candy, Tab, Jam, and then finally, Ellie. "You are dismissed."

The pack stayed together for awhile, chatting of the unknown and trying to overcome the shock of having a traitor in their own "family." Many were hurt from this news, feeling unsafe around others. The only true trusted one was the elder, and he, himself, wasn't sure who to trust. Except Jam, but how would this work? Would he have to change what he said about Jam?

This announcement had come from Candy, but soon after he gained it, she let out that it was Jam who had found out the information. The elder looked at Jam, who stared out the window rather than looked back. Knowing this was too important to ignore, he would have to tell, but now, as he went to his home, he pondered on the idea. A slight knock of hesitance ruined his quiet mind thoughts. "Sir?"

"Come in."

The teen entered, out of randomness, someone who the elder didn't expect. He came in and closed the door, "Is everything gonna be okay?" he asked, his normally strong tone gone weak. The elder looked up and shook his head, "I cannot say, Spike. There is much I do not know. We are in much danger."

Spike rolled his fingers into fists, creating nail indents into his palms, "Whoever's doing this deserves to die a pitiful and non-mournful death…" The elder stared at him, "Spike, I understand you are angered at this action of another, but you should never wish death on another."

"What about the vampires?"

The elder clicked his cane against the floor, "You should get some rest. This was big news for all of us." Spike nodded slowly, understanding. "Anything new happens, let me know." he said quietly, "I don't want anything happening that's unnecessary."

He left with a swift spin, leaving the elder puzzled. Spike hating being a werewolf. Since when was he so dedicated and protecting of the pack? The elder put this off, but didn't ignore it completely. Anything odd was a clue for him. He sat on his bed and watched the sunset by himself. Something needed to be done fast.

&&&

Jam, Candy, and Tab went down by the lake when the elder was done talking. There was some planning that needed to be done. They had let Yoyo and Rhyth go off by themselves. They probably still needed some time to patch things up. Jam sighed as he removed his sneakers and dunked his feet into the soothing ice cold water. Nothing more he _could_ do.

The elder had taken his only identification clue for this mystery traitor. Candy touched his shoulder lightly, "Jam…"

"It's alright."

"I know how much that thing meant to you…"

"_Candy_."

She stopped and looked at him sadly, yearning to understand his emotion at the moment. Unlike anyone she knew, he hardly showed emotion, and when he was upset or serious, she really couldn't tell. He was a walking stone statue. Being his only sister and only family member at this point, she was destroyed that she could never really communicate with her brother.

In her view, there was no one who ever could. He was one of a kind. She lowered her view and glanced at Tab, who had been watching her timidly. She smiled, but silently wished that he didn't like her. It could only bring problems, and she was already drowning in them.

None the less, she left Jam and sat next to Tab, feeling it was her place to be there. Jam watched her quietly, wondering why she didn't hook up with Tab already. He could tell Tab liked her and she felt the same about him. Was she feeling held back because of him? Jam looked down, feeling accountable.

Tab sighed. He could never tell Candy anything with Jam sitting there in eye's view. Nothing he'd like to share, that was.

The half dead, half mortal looked on as the three remained quiet. Her conscience was tearing her apart, making her do this. She quickly sped to Jam and grabbed his arm, "I'm sure you guys won't mind me borrowing him for a minute?" she smiled sweetly. The other two shrugged, but Jam looked at her strangely.

"It's important!" she hissed in his ear as she pulled him up. He nodded and followed her. They went around the walk and disappeared behind the buildings, leaving Tab and Candy alone.

Tab's heart pace began to race, even though he wasn't planning on saying anything, but it just happened to come out anyway. "Candy?"

She looked at him, "Yes?"

Terrified that he had uttered her name, he remained quiet. He pulled his hands into his sleeves to wipe off the droplets of sweat that had automatically accumulated there from his anxiety. "Tab?" Candy called, tilting her head, "What's the matter?"

He shook his head, "Nothing…"

Her investigative blue eyes scanned him, "Tell me."

He looked to the water and continued to remain silent. In a couple of days, going to weeks, he had met the best friend he could have ever had. Along with that friendship, a crush had developed between him and Candy. His mind was filled with her and his heart burst every time she smiled or waved. How could he explain that into a simple question? He admired her bravery and her determination to put up with traveling to fight away the vampires. He liked how she was sweet to everyone she met, even when she disagreed with their ways. He could tell she was special when she and her brother first walked into the garage, trying to get through to Rokkaku Dai.

"I want to…" he muttered, and Candy heard. "You want to what?" she asked curiously. He looked at her, "To tell you. But I can't…" Candy slid her hand over his and felt the head in his hands warming hers. She could feel the heartbeat in his wrist, and see his cheeks becoming pink. "I wanted to tell you before, before Blaze came and interrupted because the gang came looking for me and Yoyo…but…I was feeling confident…and now…" he shook his head.

Even though she knew she was pushing it, she scooted closer to him, just in case someone was listening. The sky changed into a light orange, and then light purple, eventually mixing into dark purple. The stars shimmered in the light darkness, revealing a very light outline of the moon. Candy watched this and knew nothing could ever work out. Not now, not ever.

Tab stared at her warmly. She smiled, knowing he was going to say something. He looked to his hands and clenched them in. "If…"

Candy tilted her head closer to him to hear. His voice at a whisper, "If…a guy like me asked you out…would you say yes?" At that moment, his entire face was consumed into the blush, even his neck. Candy stared at him and then placed her hand on his cheek softly. She looked away, quiet tears running down her cheeks. As he watched this reaction, his heart tore in a million pieces, already knowing the answer. Gazing ahead into the sky, she sighed tearfully, "You don't know how much I wish I could say yes…"

Tab nodded dejectedly, wanting to tell her something, but couldn't. There was a lump in his throat. He brought his knees up and leaned on them, too embarrassed and humiliated to say anything more. Candy, ashamed and liable, let more tears ride down her cheeks, for there was nothing else to be done. He whispered very quietly, "But…friends?"

Candy sniffed and nodded, "Absolutely." But even though the friendship and trust was there, they could not belong to each other, which made friendship sound empty.

&&&

"What's so important that you dragged me on the outskirts of the outskirts?" questioned Jam, a little annoyed. He and Ellie were now outside of the community where the werewolves were staying. Nothing coming from this could be good. She glanced around nervously, jittery in her motions. "I…know something…" she whispered, aware that others might be around.

"_About_…?" he pursued.

"About who _they_ are."

Jam blinked, not understanding, "And they would be?" Ellie glared at him, "The owner of that cloth! I know who it belongs to! They came every week to update our master about what you werewolves were doing!" Ellie covered her mouth quickly and looked around, wishing no one had heard that.

Jam's eyes widened, "Really! You know who it is! Well, c'mon! Tell me! Tell everyone!"

"I can't!"

Quiet lingered about while the two stared at each other, one in a trance, the other in disbelief. "Why can't you?"

"It could send me into great danger!" Ellie shouted, about to cry at the thought. "If master finds out that I told you…" her lip trembled, her fear rising. She crammed her arms around her and closed her eyes, trying to forget. Seeing her this way made Jam pity the girl, but he couldn't let himself become soft. He shook his head, "Ellie, you _need_ to tell me!"

She tilted her head up, looking him straight in the face, "You don't understand…" Jam shook his head, "No, I don't, but look. You've already placed yourself in huge danger. You're already against your people. You don't have to fear him anymore." he told her encouragingly, hoping this would get her to say.

Ellie watched him, his eyes full of an odd truth, and his seriousness reassuring her that she was safe. "We're watching out for you." he finished, sure that she would feel secure enough to tell him now. Her eyes glistened as she smiled slowly.

"Thank you..." she said, pulling him into a close unexpected hug. Jam stared at her in shock and then looked to the side, "Sure…now," he said, pulling her off, "Who is it?"

&&&

"Rhyth, I know you wanna give a fair trial for this dude when we find him, but c'mon, what other reason could a werewolf be in a vampire's hideout!"

Rhyth sighed, "I know you think my idea is stupid, Yoyo, but look! You and Jam were in the place! Who's to say someone else wasn't there for the same reason?"

Yoyo looked at her from the side, "Rhyth, it's not stupid, but you don't understand. The facts add up to someone who's against us. The vampires have been getting updates and stuff about us and there's only one way they could've found out, yo!"

Rhyth nodded, "Alright…"

Yoyo opened his mouth to add another reason, but his attention was taken by the voices around one of the corners of a cottage.

"How do we know it's not one of the two that snuck out? I mean, it could be _both_ of them for all we know…"

Yoyo blinked and stopped walking, peeking to see who was talking. Rhyth followed and saw three of only one she knew of. Blaze, and a tall boy with messy blond hair owning a face of immorality. "I have a feeling it's that new kid…" muttered Spike with an expression of disgust.

"No, Yoyo's too good of a kid. He would never-"

"Blaze, think about it. All this strange crap started happening ever since he joined in."

Blaze shook her head, "It's not him."

Rhyth glanced at Yoyo, "Well, Yoyo, at least your girlfriend's on your side." Yoyo glared at her, "She's not my-"

Spice, who was in the group, sniffed. "There's someone else here, guys." Blaze and Spike stopped talking and looked around. Yoyo backed up, and Rhyth trailed after him, but the three had already started walking towards their way. Yoyo, not wanting to get caught, decided to climb the wall, but then Rhyth would be left behind. Spike, who sounded angry, went on fours and sped into the alley. "Who's there!" he yelled, his temper taking over.

Rhyth jumped and grabbed Yoyo, not consciously realizing that her wings had shaped out of her back and opened, ready for flight. She zoomed to the roof with Yoyo, just in time for Spike to find an empty alleyway. He grunted and went back to where he was talking with the girls. Up on the roof, Yoyo stared at Rhyth who was in shock herself.

"Smooth move…" he said with a slight smile. Rhyth, shaking, glanced at him and covered herself with her wings. "You okay, yo?" he asked, getting to his feet. "Do I look okay!" she scowled, glaring at the floor. Yoyo stood back and left her alone. "You get over it eventually." he whispered, about to climb down. Rhyth's wings molded back into her back and she looked up angrily, "Don't lie to me, Yoyo. You're not even close to being over it with your issues."

Yoyo glared back, "What would you know? You've only been a monster for a few days, but who knows? Maybe it's who you were all along? You just finally got the fangs." Rhyth stared at him as he disappeared from the roof to the ground. She sat there speechless, not knowing what to say or think. Did he really think of her as a monster? She covered her face and sighed, wondering what she would do for the rest of her life.

&&&

Jam's face twisted into an evil grin. "I never thought having a vampire on our side could be such a life saver."

Ellie watched him charge back and forth, not sure what to do first. "The old man wouldn't believe me. Only with Candy…but I worked hard to get that clue and he took it from me…but now I've got Ellie…" he muttered, pacing.

Ellie stared at him, "Don't bring me into this!"

"Too late, you put yourself into this already. Plus, I might need your help."

"For what?"

"For when we go back to the werehouse."

"WHAT!" Ellie screamed in his face, startling Jam. He stopped pacing, "What, what?" "I can't go back there! I'm with you guys now! If master were to find me, I'd be destroyed!" she uttered, eyes glassing up. Jam shook his head, "I already told you, you're safe. But you have to come!"

"No I don't!"

Jam glanced at her and sighed. "Then I'll go myself. Just tell me what I need to know when I ask in a minute." Ellie blinked, "By _yourself_?" Jam arched an eyebrow, "Uh, yeah." Ellie shook her head, "Don't be stupid. It was stupid enough when you went with Yoyo. But by yourself! You can't do that! Master would find you before you even enter in and he'd have you in pieces and use your teeth for his formula."

Jam paused from his thinking, "Formula? What formula?"

Ellie's wings slowly came out and she was about to fly up when Jam grabbed one of her wings, "_What_ formula!" Ellie shook her head side to side, ignoring him. "Ellie!" "No!"

Jam growled, "Tell me! I don't wanna have to hurt you!"

Ellie looked back at him, "You don't?" He glared at her, "Not yet, but you're pushing it." "Jam, it's not important, okay? I don't want you to get hurt…" she said quietly. Jam ignored this statement. "_Ellie_…tell me."

She stood up and her wings disappeared, "A formula for werewolves! A cure! My master has one! That's the reason Spike is working for him, alright!" she said stiffly. Jam looked at Ellie in utter shock. "…w-what?"

Ellie crossed her arms, realizing that Jam was actually smiling in pure happiness. He looked sweet, but she could tell he hadn't been happy like this in a long time. "There's…a cure?" he asked again, waiting for the right answer. Ellie nodded, not sure if she should tell the truth. Jam's eyes shined in joy, "Oh my God…"

He looked at his hands and smiled wider, shifting them into claws. The rest of his body changes went into place and he jumped, "Good-bye hell!" Ellie stared at him, "Jam…you can't go back there…"

"Are you freakin crazy? Nothin's stoppin' me from racing over there! I could…" he stopped and his usual expression came back, "I can't go back home…but I can live as a normal rudie…and give back Candy the life I ruined." Ellie watched him as he went back into the alleys, "C'mon, let's go." he ordered, signaling for her to follow.

Jam looked around when they reached the lake, finding only Candy. When he touched her shoulder, he knew something was wrong when she didn't answer. "Candy?"

She stared ahead as if he had never called her. Ellie stood behind as Jam shook Candy, "Candy, you okay? Talk!"

Candy finally looked at Jam, then pulled him close, crying into his shoulder, "He hates me…" she sighed tearfully, sniffing. He put an arm around her and sat, "Who hates you?" Her big blue eyes glanced up, watery, "Tab…" Jam knew a story was going to come with this, "Why?"

"H-he asked me out…a-and…I said…no…" she sobbed, creating a wet tear blotch on Jam's shirt. He rubbed her back comfortingly. Candy had only had this boy problem once before when she was twelve, but it was because the boy didn't like her and she had asked _him_ out. A note clicked in Jam's head. "Wait! _He_ asked you out? And you said no! You drool over that kid!"

Candy's sniff stiffened as she glared at him. Jam rephrased quickly, "Okay, I mean you like him…a lot. Why'd you say no?" Candy sighed, her breathing jumping, "Because it can't work. Why lead on something that can't go on?" Jam looked at the water, secretly knowing this could soon change.

Ellie came over, unable to keep from hearing, "Candy, he's gonna still like you even though you said no. Trust me, he's the forgiving type. I can tell, plus, he likes you a lot. I saw you two the night they brought Rhyth here." she said with a wink, "He could never hate you."

Candy sighed as she left go of Jam and he wiped his shirt, "Candy, there's something we gotta tell ya…"

&&&

It was very dark when Rhyth decided to climb down. When she was down, however, she only flew up, realizing she had no clue where to go from there. She decided to head over near the lake where someone was walking around aimlessly. She landed in the center circle and slowly crept up to the passerby.

"Is it me? What did I do wrong? I thought she liked me…I mean…ughh…" he moaned, slapping his head. "I screwed everything over…"

Rhyth blinked, hiding in the shadows, "Tab?"

The shadow froze, "Who's there?"

"It's me." she answered, coming out of the darkness. Tab smiled slightly, "Hey Rhyth…"

Rhyth looked at his face, wondering what was causing his expression. Was it her? Or what he had been talking about before. "Are you…" she started, but he looked down quickly.

"Rhyth?"

"Yes?"

"Should I just go home?"

Rhyth tilted her head, "Well…if you want to…but…"

Tab looked up, a look of depression creeping. Rhyth placed a hand on his shoulder, "What happened?" Tab turned to the lakeview, "Candy…"

"Did she turn you down?"

Tab stared at her, "How'd you know?" Rhyth had to smile at this. "I've dealt with this too many times to count." Tab started to smile, but it quickly faded, "What do I do?" Rhyth sighed, "Whatever you feel you should do."

"I don't know what I feel anymore…"

"Pain? Heartache? Depression?"

Tab glanced at her and looked at his feet, "Way to place the pieces together, Rhyth." "Sorry," she apologized, "I have a feeling she likes you, but is keeping it away from you because…" Rhyth turned away, hugging herself. Tab waited for the rest, but it never came. Instead, she spun around with tears in her eyes, "Tab?"

He blinked, "Yeah? What's the matter?"

"Do...you think I'm…a _monster_?" she sighed, throat closing up from holding back more tears. Tab stared at her and shook his head honestly, "No! No, Rhyth! Why would you think that!" Her bottom lip trembled and she closed her eyes. "I feel like one…" she whispered, remembering Yoyo's hurtful words.

"Well, you shouldn't." he answered, putting an arm around her comfortingly, "You're still the sweet girl from the GGs; before, now, and always." She sniffed, rubbing her eyes, "B-but what if…the monster I am now…was always in me?"

Tab looked at her quizitivly, "This wouldn't come from you, Rhyth. Who _told_ you this?"

Her eyes shined with embarrassment, "Well…I-I…"

Tab turned her to face him, "_Rhyth_…"

"Yoyo and I were arguing and I can't even remember what led to the discussion…" she said in a rapid way. As she told him this, she stared down at the ground, "…and he just told me the truth…"

Tab scrunched his face, "Rhyth! You aren't a monster! Remember who we call monsters? People that aren't fair to respect what the law originally says! We call the police monsters, we call Rokkaku a monster, but you, you're not a monster!" Rhyth pulled him into a hug, "I want to believe you…"

&&&

Traveling throughout the alleyways, a teenage girl cracked her knuckles uneasily. She wasn't sure what to say or how to say it, but she needed to gather the others with her brother. Her brother, who was definitely aware of the situation reminded her that their future was, at the moment, more important than her fears over a boy.

"But, Jam…I hurt him real bad…" she said, hanging her head with tears. Jam sighed, "I know, I know."

The two reached the center circle, where Rhyth and Tab were talking. Candy froze as she saw the two friends hugging, but Jam pushed her to continue. Seeing them, Rhyth let go of Tab and dried her face up the best she could as Tab glanced at Candy, feeling the crushing pain again. Candy couldn't look at him at all, so she stared at the ground and let her brother do the talking.

"Guys, we have some info that Ellie let us onto."

Tab tilted his head curiously, trying to act normally, "What is it?" Jam raised his hand, lifting two fingers, "One, its Spike who's done this to us. Two, there's a cure to being a werewolf."

Tab stared at Jam, then slowly at Candy, "A…cure?" Rhyth put her hands behind her back and looked at her feet. At least Yoyo would be happy. He could go back to being full time GG. As long as he was anywhere away from that Blaze girl.

Tab blushed as his excitement overtook his emotions. Maybe then Candy would say yes if she was…normal. She wouldn't have to travel around, maybe even be able to join the GG gang. He knew he shouldn't be feeling this way, for there was always a negative side to everything, but he couldn't help but smile. Candy daringly glanced up at him, wondering why in the world he was smiling at her. She had broken his heart, and he looked like she had given him a kiss.

Jam looked around, "Where's Yoyo?"

Tab clenched his teeth in fear for Rhyth, "Not here." "We need all the help we can get. We're leaving tonight." announced Jam. Candy, who hadn't been told the news, stared at him, "Huh? Says who?"

"Me." Jam answered, searching the skies for Ellie. "We have to take on this dude. A cure, Candy! We'd all be cured if this dude is done with! The half vamps and wolves!" Candy took in this food for thought and stayed shut. Hearing this, Rhyth looked up, "Both?"

Jam nodded, "Both."

Ellie flew down suddenly, with Yoyo chasing after on fours. "Spike's gone." he breathed, standing. Jam snorted in disgust, "Coward…" "If you want to catch the vampires off guard, this will be your opportune moment to stop him." Ellie said casually. "What about the elder?" asked Candy, stopping her brother from taking off.

"He'll take too long. He won't even start today! You know by the time we get there with him it'll be in five days!" he said, taking his arm back, "It's now or never."

Candy hesitated, biting her lip. This was an offer of a lifetime. Now or never… "Alright." she said slowly, walking with her words. "Wow, no argument? Better take this chance now before she changes her mind…" thought Jam, taking off. Ellie followed by air, leaving three behind.

Yoyo got on fours, glancing back at Rhyth with a soft look and sped off after the rest. Rhyth looked at Tab, unsure. Tab smiled, "Good luck." Rhyth hugged him, "Maybe this is the time to be that monster?" Tab grinned, "Let'er lose."

&&&

The five teens stopped before the warehouses, knowing were to go, but not sure if they should. Ellie neared closer to Jam, and he glanced at her, "Calm down, will ya? You're making the rest of us nervous." Ellie looked at him, "Well I've never disobeyed my master before! He's gonna be ultra super mega angry with me, if you haven't gotten the clue by now!"

Jam rolled his eyes, "Then you haven't lived."

Candy shooshed them both, "Quiet guys! There could be spies out here listening!" Yoyo, who hadn't spoken in a while muttered, "He's in there already."

Jam sniffed, "Damn…"

Rhyth blinked and looked at Jam, who had become their leader of the idea. "Now what?" she questioned, never liking to do something before thinking it out. But Jam wasn't like that, so he continued walking. "We need to take them out." he ordered, sniffing the air. Yoyo couldn't stop stealing peeks at Rhyth. She seemed so calm about the situation while he was practically having an anxiety attack.

Rhyth realized she was being watched, and she met his glance, trying to give him a signal to stop. He quickly looked at Jam, making it seem like he had only looked at her by chance. Ellie smiled at these actions, knowing how Rhyth felt about Yoyo. She wondered about Yoyo, though. She couldn't tell if he liked Rhyth that way or not. He looked more of a flirt than anything.

"_Hello_?"

Ellie blinked cluelessly, "What?"

Jam sighed and glared, "Did you hear anything I just said!"

"Um…well…no."

"Forget it. Just fly up and see how close we are to the warehouse."

Ellie did as told, her wings holding her up in the air. Her eyes scanned the area, seeing if she could see her old home. Spotting it, she made her way down, but slowed when she saw the door to the warehouse opening and someone scurrying inside. She zoomed down, "He _just_ went in! I saw him!"

Jam clenched his hands into fists, "He knows he's being chased down…" Candy sighed and glanced at Jam, already knowing what he was going to say. "Let's go." he growled, leading the way. Candy let out her breath and followed with the rest. "I do not think it's the best idea to just charge in there with Spike already telling them…that…" Ellie stopped talking as Jam threw her a dark glare.

"We're already here. We can't turn back now. If we head back now, we'll be stopped from going anywhere." he growled, thinking of the elder. Ellie sighed and flapped her wings gently, not making a sound. The rest tiptoed around the corner and glanced at the building they were daring to enter. A rush of wind blew past Yoyo and he jumped, falling on top of Rhyth, who led a chain of them all falling except Ellie. Ellie giggled as they all stood up and glared at Yoyo.

"T-there was something, yo!"

"SHHH!" cut off Jam, turning back to the warehouse. Ellie, shivering, went up to the window and her eyes grew black. "Master is not in his seat…" she whispered curiously. Jam grinned, "Better for us."

Ellie glanced at him for a second, but even within that second of stare, she still frightened Jam for the moment. Giggling at his reaction, she blinked and her eyes shrank down to normal. He shook his head and muttered, "Vampires…"

"Something is not right…" she whispered back, face pressed against the glass. Candy pulled her back, "Don't! We can't afford to get caught, Ellie." Yoyo glanced back and forth nervously. Rhyth, who had been watching him, sighed, "There's nothing there. You're going to give yourself an attack."

Yoyo looked at her and froze. She suddenly felt something grab at her neck, choking her. Startling her, Yoyo changed into his best wolf form and leaped at her. "What are you-" she coughed, biting it and falling back.

She stopped talking as she saw that Yoyo was wrestling with another vampire, and Jam quickly dived in to help. Knocking the creature out, they tossed him to the side, not sure of what to do with him. Ellie peeked at who it was, wondering if it was anyone she knew. Blinking, she smiled evilly, "That was Shin."

Yoyo dusted his hands off on his pants, "Whoever he was, he ain't gonna do much now, yo." Rhyth looked at him alarmed and he grinned, nudging her, "Nothin' there, right Rhyth?"

"Shut up!" she hissed, pushing him away. "That was only one of the guards master keeps out here." Ellie whispered, interrupting the starting argument. "_Guards_?" asked Candy, eyes widening. Ellie nodded and Jam's hand went to the door, "Of course…we have guards, so what would make you think they wouldn't? We better get in, before it's too late." The others nodded and silently followed in.

On the roof across from the vampire's warehouse, a pair of vicious teeth sparkled in the dim moonlight. "Finally…I've been waiting…"

* * *

**Author's Note**: _Sorry for the long wait. Too many last quarter projects and essays to count. I'm supposed to be sleeping right now, but I'm thinking of you guys first! Review and tell me what you think!_

_Will Jam prove something for all or will his plan blow up in his face? Will Tab and Candy be able to be with each other or will their differences be put first? Who has been waiting for the team to show up? …chapter 15_


	15. Revolution

**TSSC:** _Sorry about the long wait. There was moving and then I had to find my disks that I saved my stories on…It was a long wait, but the second to last chapter is finally here! Thank you for waiting. _

**Revolution **

The moonlight shined within the warehouse and on the five intruders as they sneaked along inside, following Ellie who knew the place better than anyone. "Don't make a sound." she had warned them before they had entered. "I can get you to a room and we can decide what to do from there."

Jam, who wasn't thrilled with the idea, went along anyway. He had been out voted for what they should do. "It won't be long before they smell you." Ellie warned, glancing around nervously. "Enough fun facts and get us to a room already!" growled Jam, glaring at her. She glared back, "You know, you spoiled, immature-"

"Guys! Flirt later! We gotta get undercover quick!" Yoyo whispered swiftly, listening for any sudden sounds.

The two glared at Yoyo for his comment, but continued on. They could argue later. Ellie went out into the open hall, opening the room she stayed in before she had left. Nodding, she motioned for the others to come in quickly.

"These walls are solid. It's hard to listen through the door, too." she smiled, closing it. "Hard wood."

"Good, but we're just wasting time!" groaned Jam, sitting on the bed angrily. Candy glared at Jam, "We don't wanna die out here, Jam!" Jam shook his head, "Trust me, I don't either, but the more time we waste…"

"Yeah, so what's the plan?" interrupted Rhyth, pacing back and forth. "We have to get to your master." said Jam darkly, "When he's down, they're all down." Ellie looked at him, but this time it wasn't fear, nor worry in her expression, but logic, "How can _we_ take him down when not even your pack could?"

Jam thought this over, "A distraction…"

"Distraction?" wondered Candy, "That could be…"

"Dangerous. I know." finished Jam, "But it's the only way we can have one of us wolves bite him." He broke out of his thought trend, "Ellie, where would they all be right now?"

"If they haven't seen us, which I doubt, in the grand hall. If they _have_ seen us, outside the door." she answered lamely. Jam nodded, "Thanks for the update." Ellie shrugged, leaning towards the door. Jam stood, about ready to leave, "I'll be the distraction, the rest of you are gonna hafta find a way to get Yoyo to Gladulikar without him noticing. I'll try my best to get his attention, but you can't trust on me one hundred percent."

"Jam, I don't like this plan." muttered Candy, looking out the floor-to-ceiling windows, nervous that someone could see them. "Me neither." agreed Rhyth, shaking her head. "We're just jumping into things…"

"Then what did we come here for!" asked a cold voice.

Everyone stared at Yoyo, who hadn't said much in the time that the room was occupied. "Jam's right, we _are_ losing time, this _is_ dangerous, and we're risking _our_ lives for this. But, I don't see this any different than a day out on the streets. Fangs can go through us just as fast as bullets can, and bullets are more accurate. Vampires fly, so do 'copters. No, we don't got our skates, but we _are_ pretty damn fast, yo." he told Jam and Candy.

"We have two advantages on the enemies side." he added, glancing at Rhyth and Ellie. "We've all been in tougher situations than this! Anything rudies do risks life." he continued, heading towards the door, "And if you give up now, you give up on family, yo." he finished, crossing his arms. Jam smirked, "If anyone wants to argue with that, take it up with him."

Candy took a deep breath and smiled, "I'm in if you guys are."

The others nodded and Yoyo turned the knob, poking his head into the hallway to check if everything was clear. Voices were heard not too far off. Ellie skimmed ahead and pulled the chain of friends to a different hallway that split at the end. "There's two ways to get into that ball room."

Jam nodded, "I'll go the farthest way possible so he'll be vulnerable for you guys." Ellie turned, but pulled him back as he was about to walk off, "Are you sure you wanna do this alone?" Her yellow eyes shimmered in fear, reflecting Jam's image. "Yeah, Yoyo's gonna need all the help he can get." he smirked as Yoyo rolled his eyes.

Jam bounded down the opposite hall, and the four left continued after Ellie.

"Does the deepness of the bite matter?" whispered Yoyo, glancing around his shoulder. Ellie shrugged, "I would not know, but that little prick from that kiss really took Rhyth out for a while so…" Ellie smiled as she saw Yoyo's face blush up in embarrassment. As the words reached Rhyth's mind, she remembered why she had kissed him in the first place. It was to help out all the werewolves who didn't give a crap about her at first…except him. It was to maybe get out of both worlds that could damage life so terribly. Or perhaps…it started out as a kiss.

How simple that word was.

Kiss.

An action to show a sense of love, or to express it kindly. A simple thought of the word could send flutters to someone's stomach or make them almost sick of anxiety. It could make hearts race and the world spin. It could unite two very different people from two very unique worlds together by the bond that could never be seen, but only felt. Rhyth sighed and forgot her thoughts quickly. "He doesn't like me…he thinks I'm a monster…"

Yoyo, watching Rhyth through the corner of his eye, wondered what could be going on in her mind. How could so many unfortunate events happen to him in such a short period of time? He was attacked and forced into becoming a werewolf, became distant from most of his friends, broke his best friend's heart a multiple of times, was in an actual short war, almost killed Rhyth accidentally, created enemies quickly and was now off to fight the kingpin of the vampires.

And his emotions were affected greatly by his other side. Staring at the floor, he now understood why Jam was the way he was. What was there to be happy about when everything you do puts someone in danger? Getting angry could set off a trigger inside of him that could tear someone apart in two seconds. Guilt actually crept up on him, and his throat hurt every time he lied. "_This would've never happened if I was a regular human_…" he thought with a sigh.

He felt his heart pick up pace and his face flush, he was being watched again. Not exactly knowing _how_ he knew, because he was still staring at the floor but somehow sensing her eye, he stuck his hands in his pockets and kept his head low. Maybe she wouldn't see the blush…

A thought popped into Yoyo's head: Rhyth.

She had followed him that night because she was worried about him. She came and saw something that broke her heart, a heart he never knew belonged to him. Only that night was he told about her feelings for him, which changed his life in a certain way. He didn't just like her because she liked him, as they would say in school. "Puppy love" wasn't what he would call it. He had become angry when he saw her being dragged off by a huge flying monster, and his determination never ceased to rescue her, even though it didn't come out as he would have liked.

He was finally part of his favorite game, but he was the odd one out. Yoyo wasn't exactly sure how to play his part in this whole event. It wasn't everyday a girl you fell for was a vampire, and you, yourself, a werewolf.

"_I guess good things came out of this too_…" he thought, with a smile. He bumped into Ellie as he was over thinking what he had said to Rhyth back on the roof. The happiness from his previous thoughts had vanished quickly. Rhyth was no where near a monster…

"Shhh! Look…"

Ellie pointed at the familiar large door that led into the ball room. Strangely, the doors were wide open. From the corner, the four looked out to see the room filled with hundreds of vampires talking, looking happy.

"Damn! If only the doors were closed…" Ellie sighed, shaking her head. Anticipation lurked in her heart, and fear, too. She would actually become her old self again, but…where would she go when she was back to normal? What was in her future? And would she fail her new friends? Her fingers twitched as she ran them along the side of the wall. What to do? And when to do it? Jam, the thick headed teen he was, had rushed everything, even though they did stop to plan at least _some_ form of plan…

Ellie sighed as she thought about Jam. Why should she? He wasn't worth her worries. She had enough to be concerned about. But even so, the wish for his safety haunted her mind and heart. She ran her fingers down the wall again with a worried expression.

"Ellie? Are you okay?" whispered Candy.

Ellie's eyes widened and she jumped, startled. Blushing, she nodded, "Yes, I'm fine!" Candy bobbed her head in agreement, wondering why Ellie had all of a sudden become nervous. "What do we do?" Candy asked again, pushing her own thoughts away and concentrating on the present.

Ellie glanced back at the doors, which were now closed. A nauseating fear rushed in Ellie's cold blood. Why would they now be closed? Had Jam started early? Rhyth could sense Ellie's fear and she looked at Candy with a worried expression. Candy shook her head calmly, "He's okay."

Blushing, Ellie glanced at Candy nervously, "How do you know?" Candy smiled, "It's a twin thing." A little relief soothed Ellie's feelings, but she still felt unsure. Even so, she led the group to the doors quietly. She had to keep her cool. She continued to push her negative thoughts away. They _were_ going to do this. They _would_ succeed. They _would _win.

Yoyo leaned on the door and cracked the other one open a bit, very slowly so it would go unnoticed. They could all hear different conversations going on all at once, but one voice was so clear and deep, it was certain to only be one person.

Ellie peeked inside, "Master…"

Gladulikar was standing in the front, last time as Yoyo had seen him, talking to a gloomy looking guard. The guard agreed to what his master was telling him, and walked off into the crowd with a glide. The leader sat down in a chair, away from his people, and peered out the large windows. He seemed to be thinking of something as he smiled about it.

Meanwhile, hiding outside in the hall, the four had agreed that the vampire girls would enter first. After all, they actually knew these other vampires personally, or at least, Ellie did. It was less suspicious that way. They slipped in quickly, and unnoticed. The two stopped as the guard that was talking to their leader came back with Spike. He passed right by Ellie, but didn't notice her as he kept his vision towards his boss.

Gladulikar stood with his arms crossed and looked down at Spike, "I hear you have some news for me?"

"That idiot, Jam, found out that I'm working for you…" Spike said darkly. Gladulikar stepped down and dusted his hands has if this news was unimportant to him. "It is not worth my troubles if you let yourself become exposed to your people." he answered coldly.

"I didn't!" yelled Spike, growling angrily, "It's Ellie!"

A small smile appeared on the leader's face, "Really?"

"Yeah, really." answered Spike, wondering where this was going. Gladulikar turned to the large party of vampires that were patiently watching the conversation and his voice became soothing and haunting, "Ellie, my dear, come forth now."

Rhyth looked at Ellie with a worried expression, but Ellie's eyes were black as the sky outside. She seemed almost hypnotized. Rhyth grabbed her arms, trying to pull her back as she began to walk, but Ellie's drag was too strong. From the door, Yoyo glanced at Candy, "What in the hell is she doing, yo!" Candy looked at him, "She's being drawn in by her master…" Yoyo's eyes widened, "No…"

The crowd in the front widened as Ellie walked through. "Well here's a familiar face." her master smiled, his teeth sending chills down the spectators' spines. Spike glared at her, hands already in fists. Gladulikar held Ellie's chin up, inspecting her eyes, "I see some deceiving features hiding within your soul…"

He blinked, and Ellie's normal eyes clicked, revealing her fear. "So…" he said, walking around her in a circle, "I hear that you've betrayed me?" Ellie shook her head quickly, "Never master! I would never do such a thing!" she spoke with tears. As he crossed his arms, Candy and Yoyo slipped inside, following Rhyth who went around the large crowd that was focused on their master.

"Ellie, I am sure there is no need of a reminder of what happens to those who betray me…" he said as his large wings molded out of his back.

"NO! Master please! Don't!" Ellie cried, stepping back from him. A small smirk edged on Spike's face, waiting for Ellie's fate to meet her. He would finally be rid of her once and for all.

Candy and Yoyo crawled closer to Gladulikar, watching in fear as he snatched Ellie by her neck and formed into his full form of vampire, screeching. Ellie screamed, trying to pull away, or at least breathe through the choke he was gripping her in. He opened his mouth, exposing his dagger-like fangs, ready to pierce Ellie in punishment. Out of nowhere, a swift kick knocked Gladulikar backwards, not losing balance, but was thrown off his main action. He dropped Ellie, and she fell against the floor, catching her breath.

"Hey, who was supposed to be the distraction here?" whispered a familiar voice. Ellie glanced back quickly, glaring, "I'm gonna _kill_ you!" She dove at Jam, who jumped back in surprise, "What are you doing!" he yelled, bashing into Gladulikar again, this time making him fall back. Yoyo took his chance and jumped at him, but Gladulikar stopped him before he could do any damage. Candy jumped at him too, and Jam joined them. Gladulikar opened his wings and spun, throwing them all off in different directions, but that didn't keep them down.

Meanwhile, Rhyth and Ellie fought off anyone who dared to interrupt the fight before them, including Spike. "You backstabbing bitch!" he called out to Ellie, tripping her and stomping her wing. "Look who's talking." she muttered, slapping him off. Even though there were three werewolves against the leader of the vampires, he was still too much to handle for them. He whacked Candy against the windows, slashing her arm.

He threw Yoyo so hard he slammed against the large doors, almost knocking him unconscious. He closed his claws around Jam's throat, grinning. "You, I would've never thought to touch! Too irrational and risky for a good leader, but look who comes tearing up my steps, ready to take me out." his voice growled, sin seeping through every word.

Jam snarled and tried to bite, but Gladulikar smacked him, and two other vampire guards came with a leather muzzle, tying it tight around his mouth. "NOO!" Jam screamed, managing to kick the vampire in his face. The pressure against his neck only tightened, and Jam could hear his blood pulse running in his ears as he fidgeted and scratched, trying to get away.

Ellie could only watch as Spike had her pinned, allowing her to watch her friend's death. Rhyth was also being held down, and Candy had no idea what to do without her brother. Yoyo stood up wobbly, rubbing his head and gasping at the readying attack. Yoyo shook his head, this couldn't be happening. He closed his eyes slowly; it was going to be over. Everything…

A deep laugh echoed throughout the ballroom, a laugh of pleasure, a laugh filled with such evil, nothing could repel it. "Oh and to let you onto a secret," the creature smiled, "I've been spying on all of you. Not just with others, but personally, I've taken the time to make sure animals like you wouldn't mess my plans up. When I'm done with you, I'll rid the rest of those dogs, and nothing will ever be a threat to my people again!"

The vampire swarm cheered in the room, but one voice was so pure and ready to counter this announcement, everyone turned to him. Yoyo leaned on one of the large wooden doors with his usual grin, "I beg to differ, yo." Candy, Ellie, Rhyth, and Jam looked at Yoyo with a confused expression, but their faces soon lifted as the doors were thrown open, revealing the elder, Tab, and the rest of the pack.

"NO! KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL!" screeched the vampire leader, momentarily forgetting about Jam.

The room went into chaos as werewolves swarmed into the ballroom, hunting after every vampire they could. But even so, no one dared to aim for the leader. Jam broke free from Gladulikar's clutch with a kick to his face, and on fours, rammed into the backs of vampires, trying to get the muzzle off at the same time.

In all the mess, Candy tackled Tab, even with her injured arm, "Tab! You came! I'm sorry! I never meant for any of what I said to come out the way it did!" Tab shook his head in shock, and led her away from most of the commotion, even though there was no way to avoid it. He put his hands on her shoulders, "There's no time for this now, but don't worry about it! I could never be mad at you." he smiled, hugging her, "I just had a feeling you guys might've needed backup."

At that exact moment, a female vampiress halted before the two, stretching her wings and using them as blocks. "Isn't it my lucky day?" she hissed, her fangs ready for blood extraction, "A werewolf _and_ a human!" She was about to attack Candy when she was suddenly blinded by paint. Screeching, she clawed at her face and flapped her wings quickly, trying to get away. Smiling, Tab spun the can in his hand and returned it back to his pocket, "Nifty little gadget! Not as cool as were-teeth, but…" he shrugged innocently and received a grateful hug from Candy.

Yoyo hunted through the crowd, wrestling anyone who attacked him, but he was searching for one main creature. Gladulikar. In this mess it was almost impossible to find a certain person, but in his grandness, wouldn't he stand out? "He must've changed back…" growled Yoyo, flinging a vampire by its wing. He felt jagged claws tear at his back, but he ignored the pain as he swiftly ran through the fighting war. At the moment, he couldn't tell who was winning, but it didn't matter now.

Across the room, Jam was wrestling with Spike, but Spike had the advantage of his teeth. At every free moment, Jam tried to pull off the mask, but Spike continued interrupting. "What's the matter Jammer? Can't you fight me without a mouthful of knives? Or do you need to smirk at every hit you actually get in?" Spike mocked, slashing Jam across the chest with his claws.

Jam threw a punch at Spike's face, cracking his head backwards and sending him against the wall. "No, Spike. All I need is timing…" snarled Jam, punching him rapidly, not letting him get a gasp of air in. Spike collapsed on the floor, blood trailing from his mouth. Jam glared at him, giving him a final kick to his ribs. Spike looked up at Jam, then passed out from the pain.

Jam turned quickly to give help where needed, when he was suddenly pulled back. Spinning, he went down on fours, ready to attack. "Hang on! I'm only getting that muzzle off ya!" said Ellie, her wings keeping her slightly above the ground. "Hurry up!" he nodded, turning around. Ellie pulled on the straps, but figured they wouldn't unstrap. With a quick bite, they snapped off, and Jam pocketed them, "Thanks! Stay close! The others might've forgotten whose side you're on!"

Jam looked around, and suddenly, in a frantic motion, "Where's the old man?" Ellie shrugged, "I don't know! I haven't seen him!" Jam fought his way around, struggling to find the elder. "Ellie! See if you see him!"

She flew up and Jam disappeared into the fight again. From ceiling view, she saw everyone she could possibly see, but three people. Her master, the elder, and Rhyth.

She flew down near the door and found Jam fighting off two vampires who had him trapped. She hissed angrily and charged at them, soon stirring them away from Jam. She dragged him into the hall, where it seemed to be untouched, "I can't find my master, your master, or Rhyth!" Jam's eyes widened, "None of them!" Ellie shook her head hastily and saw something she had never seen before. Fear in Jam's eyes.

&&&

Yoyo looked around. Not too far off was Spike, out cold in a corner, Candy and Tab were a pretty good team, considering that Tab was only human, on the other side of the large room, but he couldn't find anyone. Everything was too hectic and bloody. His blue hood was soaked with all kinds of blood, and strangely, none of it was his. They needed to destroy these vampires, but how?

And where was Rhyth?

A deep pit drilled in Yoyo's stomach. Why did he leave her alone in this battle? Of course it was part of the plan, but he shouldn't have listened. He should've learned from the last mistake that he made. Shaking his head, he froze, sniffing the air. Rhyth's perfume. Her scent.

Through struggle and fight, he managed to get to the doors where her scent led him to. Opening the doors, he raced down the hallway, maybe he wasn't too late. In his race, he bashed into someone and they jumped, ready to attack.

"Yoyo!"

He looked up, realizing it was Jam, and Ellie, too. Jam glanced at him once, "Stress relief?" Yoyo looked down at his tattered bloody clothes and remarked at Jam, "You're no happy camper either, yo."

"You caught the scents, too?"

"Yeah. Rhyth's not in there, yo!"

"Neither is the old man _or_ vampire scumbag."

"Dammit…"

A scream immediately interrupted them, forcing them to run after the call. "It's Rhyth!" yelled Yoyo, racing ahead of the others. He turned the corner, breathing in her scent as he ran, making sure he wouldn't lose her path. Yoyo suddenly stopped, "It's not down the hallways!" Jam sniffed, trying to get her scent. It stopped at the end of the hall. "NO!" screamed Yoyo, bashing a punch into the wall.

"The stairs…" Ellie pointed out. The doorknob to the door was dented and there were scratch marks against it. Jam pushed against it and froze, as did the others when they joined him. The black stairs were wet. But it wasn't water that soaked the rails and steps. It was blood.

Too much blood. Too much blood to lose in a body. Jam swallowed hard and rubbed his eyes with his hand, not sure what to think. Biting his lip, he took a deep, choked breath and stepped around the puddles of blood that were leaking like rain onto the floor from the stairs. Yoyo quickly followed him, knowing what he was thinking, but believing that there was still a chance for the hostages.

He ran past the two bystanders, following the scent outside. Jam paused, closing his eyes, fingers curling into fists, feeling an unleashing anger that he couldn't help to ignore.

"Jam?"

Lifting his head, his eyes rose, meeting Ellie's. "It's not over…there's still hope…"

"It'll never be over until his lifeless body is decaying at my feet." Jam whispered, wiping his mouth coldly. "Yoyo needs our help." he finished, running to the door. Outside was so cold, and chill, as it was when they had first come, but much more murky. The scent was still in the air, but for some reason, Jam felt as if he was moving in slow motion. His legs felt so heavy and weak, his body, his mind. They were losing. The creatures he had learned to call his people, were going to die.

Something pulled him out of that world of retardation, wrapping her arms around his chest from behind in a caring hug. Ellie folded her wings back into her back and stood there for a moment, holding Jam back from his target, not purposely to stop him, but to comfort him in his time of need. She nuzzled her head into the side of his neck and he let her, calming down enough to gain control of his mind set.

"C'mon, we have a pest to slaughter." she told him softly, her wings forming out again. Jam nodded, "Right." Ellie flew up and then back to Jam, "There on a rooftop three warehouses down, follow me."

"Is Yoyo there?"

"I saw three shadows."

"Alright…let's go."

"This way."

"Oh…and Ellie?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

&&&

Yoyo, heart pounding in anxiety, climbed the wall where Rhyth's scent was greatest on. He could hear voices. Not exactly voices he would have been pleased to hear, but they were the ones he wanted to hear.

Peeking over the top, he saw Gladulikar with Rhyth in arm and the old man. The elder was badly injured as blood seeped from his arm and left side through his robe. His breathing was barely making it through the coughing of blood mixed with regurgitation and his nose was bleeding horribly. One glance at him and Yoyo wanted to vomit, the mixtures of sadness, pity, and guilt were too much to handle.

"If only you knew how long I've waited to do this old man!" growled the monster, crushing the elder with his strength. "STOP IT!" screamed both Yoyo and Rhyth. Gladludikar threw the two down and Rhyth scrambled over to the old man, wondering what she could do to help him. Nothing looked good for him. "You helped me cheat death, now it's my turn." she whispered, laying him out comfortably.

Gladulikar walked over to Yoyo who was standing, positioned to attack with everything he had. "Oh, and what's this? An audience to watch the death of your beloved leader? How sweet." he grinned, all his teeth glowing in the moonlight.

"You might've taken down the pack, you might've taken down our leader, but I'll _never_ let you win this fight!" Yoyo snarled, claws digging into his palms. "Let me ask you something before I kill you," chuckled Gladulikar, slowly forming into his human self, "What in the world makes you tick? How do you keep believing that you werewolves are going to win this war when the war is already over? Was it the old man, feeding you lies ever since you became apart of this little fit? Is it the dream that you're going to save your little girlfriend here and that you'll find the cure that will set both your lives back to normal? Or are you just plain stupid?"

Yoyo glared at him darkly, "You know, you put a lot of hell in my life, and I mean it when I say _hell_, but it showed me why I was born. A reason to live. A purpose in life. And that's crossin' out bastards like _you_."

Gladulikar rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "So, courage, willpower, a bit of vengeance thrown in, too bad I have to kill you. You would've been a perfect leader for my new armies I'll start once this mess is cleaned up." he grinned, his human form switching once again to monster.

"Too bad you won't be around to start them!" remarked a tone of anger, thrusting out of the shadows, slashing the vampire leader in the face. Gladulikar screeched, shaking his head, "Perfect! I'll kill you both at the same time!" The boys glanced at each other and quickly dashed together at the vampire, head on.

Rhyth pulled the elder to the corner of the roof, where they would most likely not be part of the fight. He was still breathing, but his heart pulse was slowing. "Please…" she whispered, tears in her eyes, "Hold on…"

Gladulikar picked Yoyo to attack first, but Yoyo just slid under and past him, "Fool you!" Before he could lift his head, Jam gave a nasty crack to his head with a kick, knocking him off balance. But before he could hit ground, his wings took flight, leaving them at a disadvantage. "Idiots." he muttered before having a wing wrapped around his face.

Ellie, placing herself behind him unnoticed, had flapped one of her wings around her master's head, blocking his view. "What!" he yelled in aggravation, smacking Ellie away. Ellie fell over the side of the roof, a tear in her wing, and the leader of the vampires was alone. Growing, he lifted in the air, searching for his targets.

&&&

Back inside the warehouse where most of the war was taking place, Candy stopped fighting and looked out the window. Tab, noticing this, yelled out to her, "Candy! What are you doing!" She turned to him, tears flowing down her cheeks like waterfalls. "What's wrong?" he whispered, shaking her.

"We're losing him." she choked, hanging her head. Having no idea who she was talking about, he gave her a strange look, but realized whatever was happening was affecting the pack's fighting. They seemed to be weaker than they would normally fight. Tab stared as the vampires thrust forward whatever they had stored for this war. "No…"

&&&

Hiding to keep safe for the moment, Yoyo, Rhyth, Jam, the elder, and now Ellie was crawling to them, injured. Lip trembling and eyes tear filled, Rhyth shook her head, "I don't know what to do…"

The elder, shaking with every movement, reached for Rhyth's hand. "You've done…your part…child…" he gasped, coughing. "No, just calm down, we can get through this, old man! Just like before, just keep breathing!" Jam pleaded, placing his hand on the old man's shoulder. The elder laid himself on the ground from the warehouse wall he was leaning against, "My body is giving up." he whispered weakly, "I have…lived my life…training the strays in my pack…but I can no longer hold the title of the pack…"

Jam shook his head vigorously, "NO! You need to live for this war! You have to lead us! Who are we gonna turn to for answers! Cures! Knowledge?" Jam's fists were beginning to shake from the anger. How could the old man leave them when now was the time he was needed the most? What would the pack do? There had to be a better way.

The old man, with Yoyo's help, sat up a bit, only to remove a chain that was hanging around his neck. It was similar to the one hanging around Jam's neck, only the old man's was gold, and Jam's was silver. Rhyth buried her head into Yoyo's torn and dirty hood, seeking comfort from the trauma. In response, he put his arm around her, pulling her closer. He had never felt so empty. Not knowing what to feel was the scariest feeling in his opinion.

The depression, sadness, grief, and pain were so much that they killed each other out, leaving him…emotionless.

The reflection of the gold amulet shined in Jam's eyes, a memory and treasure of the elder. "I can no longer own this…" sighed the old man, resting it on the ground, "Jam…you wanted to start this war…with that same…ambition…you will finish…it…"

The elder rested his head back on the ground and Jam tensed up. Every muscle hurt, every movement, as if he was becoming a werewolf for the first time again. Rhyth lifted her sight to Yoyo's face, to see if the time had come. His vacant expression answered her quickly. She clung on to him, never wanting to let go. Jam picked up the golden amulet and held it in a fist, closing his eyes, but unable to stop the few tears that manage to escape.

He reached out for the old man, but Ellie's wings pulled him closer to her and away from the elder, "He's gone Jam…" she whispered, her face filled with depression. Jam stared at the old man, a reminder in his mind that time was running out. Still, the bloody, battled, gory image of the old man would never leave his mind. It would always haunt him in his dreams, thoughts, and everyone he knew. "I'm sorry…" he whispered, pulling the chain over his head, "But I'll make up for it…I promise."

A crash of a window caught the four's attention. Jam jumped up quickly, "Candy!"

&&&

"How does it feel knowing that your leader is dead?"

"Rot in hell!"

Gladulikar, holding Candy by the neck, was at the edge of the window he had broken with her body. Many cuts adorned her arms, legs, and face, but she was still alive. Although, a drop from a two story building in the way he was planning to throw her wouldn't be survivable.

Tab was being held down by two vampires, watching helplessly as Candy was about to be thrown to her death. Gladulikar glanced at Tab for a moment, "Strange, an ordinary human willing to fight with those animals…" The two holding him back hissed, their fangs revealing threateningly. He glared at them, trying to pull away, but they were too strong.

The large brawl which was taking place had paused for a moment to watch. The vampire leader noticed this and smiled, "You're death will be a long lasting memory for many," he held her out the window, ready to drop, "Your leader is dead! There is nothing more to fight for! And you will all drop, one by one." he said strongly enough for everyone to hear.

"Let her GO!"

Gladulikar turned to see that Jam, Yoyo, Rhyth, and Ellie had caught up, "Gladly."

He opened his grasp, allowing Candy to drop with a scream. "NO!" screamed Tab, dropping to the floor on his knees. Jam and Yoyo charged at Gladulikar while Rhyth ran for the window, wings opening quickly and dived. Neither the vampires nor the werewolves moved for fear of their sides. If someone got in the way of their master, they would be destroyed and if someone risked the life of one of their own, they would be in disgrace for as long as they lived.

The tears and scratches affected Gladulikar more now than before and Yoyo noticed this. Was he getting tired from fighting? "I hope so…" thought the GG; the fight was beginning to take a toll on him, too.

Rhyth appeared at the window with a pale faced Candy, pale from shock, but still alive. Gladulikar grabbed Jam by his wrist and was about to bite him when Jam lifted himself up and sunk his fangs into the monster's hand. The entire room went into screeches from the vampires for fear of their master's death. Gladulikar screamed and whipped Jam off, slamming him onto the floor where Yoyo had been kicked off to, but to Jam's surprise, he just shook his hand and glared at him.

"_What_!" Jam thought, "I don't understand…why didn't he die…?"

"You look surprised." Gladulikar chuckled, dusting himself off. Yoyo looked at Jam worriedly. Now what were they going to do? If that was what they had to do…and Gladulikar didn't die…who were they going to ask for help? The elder was gone, who was there to turn to? Ellie shook her head, "NO! You have to-AHHHH!"

The boys quickly turned, getting smacked again with Gladulikar's wing against the wall. Candy and Rhyth, who were protecting Tab from anything that might attack him, stared in disbelief as did the rest of the pack. Yoyo closed his mouth and slowly stood up, "…Uh…Blaze? What the _hell_ are you doing, yo!"

Blaze, who had slashed Ellie's back and was now choking her, glared up, "Sorry, but we can't have this little ball of dirt slipping out useless information, now can we?"

"_What!_" Jam screamed, breathing heavily. Candy glowered at the traitor, she knew something was wrong about her, it only took until now to prove it. A dark anger boiled within Rhyth as she snarled. Yoyo stared at her, slowly putting the pieces together. She was as desperate as Spike was to find a cure. She wanted her old life back, at the risk of others' lives. "Thank you, Blaze. Your reward will come soon enough." replied Gladulikar, cracking his knuckles.

Jam shook his head, this didn't make sense. He knew there was someone betraying them, and everything led to Spike. Not one thought could add up to Blaze. She had been in this the whole time? Jam glared at her as he stood, realizing something. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the tattered piece of cloth he had found when he and Yoyo broke into the warehouse the first time. Blaze's blouse was filled with tears, but one did not match the others. "It's been you…" he muttered, tossing it on the floor.

Blaze smiled, "Spike was just a distraction so I would get the real information. You're the type who would jump at the first clue and accordingly, you fell for the wrong lead."

Jam sighed, she was right. He did fall for the wrong lead. The major lead he needed. They had her the whole time, she was always at meetings, she cooked most meals, and she even came with the rest that Tab had brought. Jam looked at Ellie, who was unconscious on the floor, with guilt and disappointment. He had led the entire pack to their death. It was his fault the elder was dead and now his friends would be killed off as well.

Unable to hold back any longer, Rhyth lunged at Blaze, screeching. She unleashed all the anger she had against her, from now and before. Nothing had ever felt so rewarding.

"Enough of this!" yelled Gladulikar, snatching Yoyo by his tail. Punching and kicking, Yoyo didn't do as much damage as he would've liked. Blaze knocked Rhyth down as Rhyth had paused to look at Yoyo. "I pity you. You're a walking pillar of problems. I'll let you watch Yoyo's death and then I'll kill you." Blaze snickered, foot pressed down on Rhyth's back as she pulled her by her hair to raise her head. "Yoyo…" Rhyth whispered, tears running down her cheeks.

Gladulikar opened his mouth, his fangs extending for Yoyo's neck and pushing their way through his skin. Jam ran on all fours, bashing into Gladulikar's chest knocking him backwards and out the broken window as Yoyo's haunting scream filled the room and drifted along with the other two. "NOOOO!" screamed Rhyth, Candy, and Tab, watching the horror.

The vampires left inside flew out after their master, leaving the werewolves behind. "AFTER THEM!" screamed Candy, and the werewolves jumped down to the nearest rooftops, hunting after the vampires. Blaze had released Rhyth in shock of the previous event, which was a large mistake in her case. Both Rhyth and Candy attacked her while Tab went to the edge, looking out at the continuing fight.

This would definitely be a night to remember. He blinked as he watched the sky. The stars had disappeared. "I saw stars on our way here…" he thought, heart pacing quickly. "Candy! Rhyth!" he called, turning in a spin. Rhyth looked up, throwing Blaze against the wall, near where Spike was laying. She and Candy had beaten down Blaze pretty badly. "What now?" she asked, flying over.

"Look at the sky!" he said, pointing as he talked. Rhyth glanced at the sky, "Tab, I think you got smacked around a bit too much…"

"No…this is wonderful! There might be hope after all!" Candy responded, "C'mon!"

&&&

Directly below the window on the ground lay Yoyo, holding his neck weakly. He held his had in front of his face, the hand fully consumed in red. He breathed deeply, the world was spinning. "Heal yourself…heal yourself…" a voice repeated in his mind. "I'm trying…" he whispered, closing his eyes.

"Why ain't I dead yet?" he wondered, "I should've been attacked again…" Feeling his neck, he felt that the gashes had closed up, but he still had a crick in his neck. It would have to do for now. He opened his eyes and stood, hearing Gladulikar.

"Boy, you've just wasted another night. You see, if you haven't won by now, you're not going to win at all. And who seems to be hurt on the ground, gasping for air? You. Your life means nothing. You _are_ nothing. And that's all you were meant to be." he lectured, raising his arm to give a final blow to Jam. He brought it down firmly, but it was stopped before he could touch Jam. Beneath the giant fist was Yoyo, pushing Gladulikar's fist up as he tried to crush Yoyo down. Yoyo clenched his teeth as he stood his ground, keeping the weight and pressure up.

"Get…up…Jam!" he hissed between breaths. Jam, extremely beaten and torn, crawled out from the danger, slowly using self healing while he was at it. Healing himself enough so he could walk, he stood up and cracked his neck that almost suffered the same consequence Yoyo went through. Leaping on the vampire's back, he sank his fangs in him once again. Gladulikar forgot about Yoyo for the moment and scratched at his back, trying to smack Jam away. Yoyo sank his teeth into the vampire's arm, causing him unbearable pain. Spinning, he screeched, smacking them both off and took to the sky.

From there he could see his people fighting against the werewolves, but a large change was seen in them. They were extremely weak, barely able to keep flight in the air. Jam and Yoyo began to scale the wall of the warehouse, jumping to the closest roof to join the fight. "What's up with them?" asked Yoyo, watching the vampires. Jam looked behind him and smiled, a light shadow stretching from his feet.

"Sunrise."

The vampires immediately stopped fighting and looked up in terror, shielding their eyes and trying to find dark shelter to hide in. "HOLD THEM DOWN!" ordered Jam in a howl, the only way for every werewolf to hear. Every werewolf grabbed a vampire or held one down in some way, keeping it in the sunlight. The full vampires began to boil and those began to burst, a searing pain of skin tearing away. Their skin began to melt after that and their bones withered away into ashes. The half vampires screamed, flying away as quickly as possible.

Jam searched the skies as the pack cheered over hundreds of dead vampire ashes. They had killed off most of the vampires, but that wasn't good enough for Jam. Where was their leader?

Yoyo cheered along with the others until something hit him. Where was Rhyth? She couldn't have disintegrated like the others had, could she? She was only half vampire. He pushed his way through the pack, heart pacing faster and faster with fear. Before he was about to yell her name, he saw her. She was with Candy and Tab, hugging them both happily. He ran up behind her and wrapped his arms around her ecstatically, "You're okay!"

Candy giggled as he blushed and let her go with an awkward grin. Rhyth faced him with a small smile, "I was just about to say that to you. I thought you were…" she looked to the side, tears in her eyes. Yoyo took her hands, "Aw, don't cry Rhyth…I won't be going anywhere…without you." he finished, face blushing up. Rhyth slowly gazed into his silver eyes, into the soul she cared about so much, and leaned closer. Yoyo also leaned close, their lips barely apart when both he and Rhyth froze, turning their heads to the side, glancing at Tab and Candy who were grinning madly.

Candy giggled, her hands pressed to her mouth and pink in the cheeks, "Oh, don't mind us!" Yoyo looked around, realizing that the others who had been cheering around them were also watching. He looked at Rhyth, face red in color, "Uhm…" Rhyth sighed happily, resting her head against his chest, "Oh well…"

Tab smiled, relieved that Rhyth's long time wish was coming true. He looked at Candy, who smiled back, but soon disappeared. "What's wrong?" he asked, tilting his head. "I know I said it before, but it was the wrong time and place…I'm sorry Tab, I really am!" she pleaded, confusing Tab at first. He shook his head, "Forget about that! You were forgiven a long time ago, Candy! And it never changed anything, okay?"

She smiled, allowing herself to curl up in Tab's arms. Her eyes flashed from her dreamy state to fear, "Wait! Where's Jam!" Yoyo lifted his head from resting on Rhyth's, "He's at the edge of the roof. Banged up, but he'll be okay…for as okay he's gonna get…" he added, looking to the side sadly. Candy looked at Tab and led them all to Jam's location. He was still staring at the sky. "He's gone…"

Candy ran into her brother, hugging him close. "You're crazy, do you know that!" she said, tears flowing down her face. "Yeah…I'm just wondering how I'm gonna put up with this." he said, reaching into his shirt and showing her the gold medallion. Her eyes enlarged, "You're…our leader…"

"And I let him get away…" Jam sighed, staring at the floor. "You didn't let him get away. We did the best we could, yo." said Yoyo, also looking up, "The old man would've been proud." Jam glanced at Yoyo, putting the medallion back in his shirt, "C'mon, we gotta get the others." He climbed down the building, followed by the rest of the pack into the warehouse where Ellie, Spike, and Blaze were, along with bodies of those who didn't make it. Spike had woken from his unconsciousness, but was tackled down by three to keep him guarded.

Another picked up Blaze, she wouldn't be awake for awhile. Yoyo glared as they brought the two out of the warehouse, "Ugh…can't believe I almost kissed that little-"

"We finally agree about her!" Rhyth mocked with a smile.

Yoyo shook her, "Thank you for interrupting us, even though you got bit and it all turned into a living hell!" Rhyth hugged him close, "No problem." Candy inspected Ellie's injuries, "Lots of cuts and bruises, we can clean those up. She has a tear in her wing and it's bleeding a lot." Jam picked Ellie up, "She's lucky she was only slashed around a bit." Rhyth nodded, "I know how the other affect feels."

Yoyo watched them all slowly, "So…wait a minute! We can head back home!" he cheered with a grin. "Not looking like that you can't." smiled Candy, pointing at his blood stained and ripped clothes. He rubbed his neck, "Good point…" "Mind if we clean up at your place?" asked Tab, realizing how gross he looked. Jam shook his head, "Nah. Let's go home."

000

TSSC: _Before they could really end this war, the main leader got away. Why couldn't the boys kill him when they bit him? What was Ellie trying to tell them before she was attacked by an unlikely enemy? What will life be like back with the gang? Next chapter…_


	16. Almost Back to Normal

**Almost Back to Normal**

The large group entered into the outskirts of Hikage, happy to finally be able to get some rest. Most of the pack disappeared into the cottages to heal themselves or to sleep. Jam carried Ellie to the same cottage they had healed Rhyth in. She twitched as he placed her on the bed, opening her eyes slowly. She looked around confused, "Where am I?" she asked weakly.

"We're in Hikage." answered Candy, searching the drawers for bandages. "Did you guys win?" she asked, sitting up. Stretching, she realized she still had her wings. "Oh…"

Jam took out some oil to pour on Ellie's gash, "So, what were you trying to tell us before Blaze stopped you?" Yoyo nodded, "Yeah, why couldn't we kill that dude, yo?" Ellie sighed, "I was trying to tell you that even though your bites do hurt him as if he was getting hit by a car, it takes a werewolf in their full form to kill him…" Yoyo looked at his claws and tail, "Well…uh, I got the ears, teeth, claws and tail…that's about all I can go."

"I know." nodded Ellie, "But to kill him, you need to go as far as a wolf." Jam shook his head, "Damn…" Rhyth placed her hand on his shoulder, "Well I still think you did a pretty good job with everything." Yoyo grinned, "Yeah! Especially when everyone was holdin' down the vampires and they were goin' all poofy!" Ellie arched an eyebrow, "Huh?"

"They were held down in sunlight." explained Candy, wrapping Ellie's wounds. "Oh…ew!" she squirmed, closing her eyes, "They exploded?" Tab nodded, "Yeah, and melted and ashed up, too." "Good thing I was unconscious for all of that." she replied, rubbing her head. "So where's the little scamp that knocked me out?" she asked grimly.

"Oh don't worry about her. She and Spike are being kept under close watch with guards round the clock." answered Jam, an order he created as soon as they arrived. "I think we better get some good clothes." muttered Yoyo, looking down at himself. "I'll send someone who's cleaned up to get you guys somethin'." smirked Jam.

Yoyo sighed, "Alright, but no spring neon colors, nothing casual, it gotta match my skates, no long pants, I hate long sleeves, and no _pink_." he counted off his fingers. Jam glared at him grimly, "I'll be sure to place that order. You'll get that in five to ten days."

Yoyo grinned, "Eheheh…"

"Let's see who's done cleaning up. While someone gets you clothes, you guys can shower." said Candy, heading for the door. "Good, cause believe it or not, I seriously need a bath." said Yoyo, rubbing his arm. Jam sat himself on one of the chairs near Ellie's bed, "Oh I believe it." he muttered. Yoyo turned, "What was that?" Ellie giggled as Jam rested his head against the backrest, "Nothin…"

&&&

Yoyo pulled the white t-shirt over his head and looked down at himself. It had taken him a while to scrub off all the blood that was on his body and to start smelling clean again. The gang would probably get to him on his dress code, since it was so plain, but he wouldn't worry about that now. His skates had been left in Hikage, so they were usable and so were his shades. Reaching into one of the drawers, he pulled out his watch and put it on. A tinge of guilt ran through him, feeling as if he were deserting a newly found family, but Jam insisted that they should take the life they are still able to retrieve.

Yoyo put his hands into the pockets of his jean shorts and flattened them on the sides. He was ready to go. Opening the door of the cottage, he went to the center circle where Rhyth and Tab were already waiting. Rhyth was wearing capri jeans with a light blue tang top. She had new skates, same color as the last, but without any stripes or fuzz. Tab was staring off into the lake, and for the first time in a long time, was wearing a black short sleeved shirt. His hands were tucked into his blue baggy sweatpants pockets, but he looked so much like Corn it was scary.

"So you do have arms!" Yoyo joked, poking Tab in the shoulder. Tab smiled, "Yeah." Yoyo shrugged, "You know, 'cause after a while, I just started believing that your hands were sown onto your sleeves, yo." Tab chuckled and continued looking out at the lake. Yoyo glanced at Rhyth and leaned over, "Has he been quiet like that?" Rhyth nodded, "Yes."

"See you finally made it."

The three turned around to find Jam, Candy, and Ellie walking towards them. "What do you mean, yo?" asked Yoyo, confused. Jam crossed his arms, "Yoyo, we gave you a t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Forty-five minutes is a _little_ too long, don't you think?" Yoyo smiled and put his hands in his pockets, "Hey, I gotta make sure everything is right."

"So I guess you guys are gonna finally head home, huh?" asked Candy, trying to avoid looking at Tab. As cheery as she tried to be, the inside of her felt horrible. Yoyo nodded, "Yeah, I wonder how the gang's been without us…"

Tab looked at Jam, "I got something that belongs to you." Jam arched an eyebrow, "You do?" Tab pulled out from his pocket the vile filled with purple liquid, "I found it when we went back for Ellie. I guess he forgot it in his rush to leave." Jam took the tube and looked at Ellie, "Is this it?"

She nodded, "Yes…that's the cure…and it works because I've seen it work." Jam looked at it as if he couldn't believe it, "How much does a werewolf need?" Ellie shook her head, "Not much, a little will do." Yoyo pulled Tab into a headlock and gave him a noogie, "Tab, you little thief! You hardly walked around that place!" Tab grinned, "Yeah, I know." Jam held the tube up to his face and turned to the others, "Yoyo, Candy, I want you guys to take some of this."

Candy stared at Jam, "Me? Why me?"

Yoyo looked at Rhyth who smiled at him. Her fangs hung over her regular teeth, a dangerous tool, but to him, harmless. Yoyo looked at his feet, hands, he twitched his ears and slowly wagged his tail. Jam looked at Candy sternly, "Because I said so." Candy looked down at herself, "But what about you?" Jam sighed and turned, facing all the many houses in the area, "I have a job now. I have to stay, but it doesn't mean you do. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have lost five years of your life to this…" he shook his head, "You can take care of yourself. And I know you keep yourself away from Tab because of this life. I hate that. I can't stand it and I'm not lettin' you do this anymore."

He gave Candy the vile, stepping away. Candy stared at it sadly, looking up at her friends. She knew her brother regretted every moment they were stuck this way, years thinking there was no cure, but now she held it in her hand, one sip and she was normal. But…she was used to this life. Candy didn't mind it as much as her brother did, and because of his mistake she had made some of the best friends she would ever make. He wanted her to stay here while he would go away. She would probably never see him again if she went her own way.

And then there was Tab. Her eyes traveled over to where he was standing. He was watching her, not a bit of eagerness in his eyes. He had told her that she being who she was didn't bother him. He gave her a small smile, letting her know whichever choice she made was fine with him. Candy gently unscrewed the cap and lifted it to her face, but shook her head, "I can't do it." she said quietly. Jam watched her as she took a step forward, handing him the tube, "Candy, you can get away from this life! Just drink it!"

Candy walked over to Tab, putting her arms around him, "Like you said Jam, we've been here five years. Five years of fighting, traveling, arguing, but in the end, we were always together. And now that you're leader of the pack…I can't let you take that on alone." Tab smiled and whispered in her ear, "Good choice."

Jam squeezed the vile in his hand, "Are you sure?"

Candy looked into Tab's eyes, wondering the same question. "Your brother needs you." he said, hugging her back. "I'm gonna miss you…" she sniffed, her eyes watering up. Tab held her close, eyes also tearing up, "I'm gonna miss you more." Ellie attached herself to Jam's arm, "Awww!" she sniffed, becoming a little emotional herself.

Both Candy and Tab blushed, still hanging on to each other as Candy turned to face everyone else. She smiled slightly, cleaning her face up. "Oh…this is too sad…yet so romantic!" Ellie squealed, nuzzling her cheek into Jam's shoulder. "Ugh…" he replied, pulling away and rubbing his neck. "Then…I guess…." he held out the vile to Yoyo, who smiled meekly, "I'm uh…gonna hafta pass on this one, Jam."

Everyone stared at him, "What!" asked Tab, quickly recovering from before, "But I thought you were gonna stay…" Yoyo nodded, "I am. I'm gonna stay home…and as I am." Jam crossed his arms, "Alright, it's already nuts that my sister passed off on this cure, but you, too!" Yoyo put his arms behind his back, "Well…yeah…"

"Any reason?" asked Candy, "I mean, you wanted to get outta this as soon as you were bitten. And you even tried escaping!" Yoyo grinned, "Heh, yeah. But, you see, it won't be the same if I'm not there to help you guys bring that dirtbag down, whenever that time comes. And…to tell ya the truth, I kinda grew on the idea of being a werewolf. It's not all bad being one, as long as I can control myself. Plus…" he glanced at Rhyth and took her hand, "I don't want Rhyth feeling alone in this if I were to take the cure. If she can't be cured, then I won't either."

Rhyth yanked Yoyo close to her and kissed his cheek, making him blush pink. Ellie sighed happily, "If only I had a camcorder…" Jam looked at her, "What good would that do? You and Rhyth wouldn't even come out." he said flatly. "It's just a thought." she answered cheerily. Yoyo stretched and looked at the sky, "I guess we better get movin', yo…"

Ellie nodded, "I should start going, too." Candy tilted her head, "You too, Ellie?" She nodded slowly, "You guys are busy hunting down master-"

"He's not your master anymore." Jam interrupted quietly.

Ellie looked at the ground, thinking of the strange words that Jam had just said. She had been hypnotized so many times, these words seemed so foreign to her, so…unheard of. She smiled slowly, a smile of relief, "He's not…"

"And you're welcome to stay with our pack, Ellie. They already know who's side you're on." invited Candy, poking her brother, "Right Jam?"

Ellie peeked up at Jam and he nodded, hardly changing his expression. She tackled him into a rib crunching hug, "Oh, thank you!" Jam glared at her, uncomfortable about being hugged in front of everyone else, "Let go of me!" Ellie looked up at him, smiling, "What's the matter? Don't like hugs?" she asked, loosening her grip.

"No. I don't." he answered, drawing away from her and dusting himself off. "You didn't seem to mind it when I hugged you last time…" she said, twirling her fingers, "You know, when you were a little depressed and-OW!"

"That was different!" Jam hissed, moving his foot back. Ellie crossed her arms, stretching out her foot, "I see no difference…" she mumbled. The three GGs laughed and started to head to the alleyway that would lead them out of there for the last time. The other three waved sadly until Jam remembered something. "Yoyo!"

The three were about to head into the alley, "Yeah?"

"Catch!"

Jam reached into his pocket and threw the silver amulet that he had worn before the elder gave him the gold one. Yoyo caught it and inspected it. "In case you try to forget us!" called out Jam, waving. Yoyo waved back and followed the others out. "What did he throw?" asked Rhyth, looking at the coin. "A collar." Yoyo joked, putting the amulet over his head and around his neck. Tab chuckled, "So how's it feel to be free again?"

Yoyo thought about it and charged ahead, "I feel hungry!" "Me, too!" agreed Rhyth, skating from side to side, feeling like her old self again. Tab nodded and raised his arm to see his watch. Pressing one of the side buttons he called Corn. Rhyth had caught up to Yoyo and they were pushing each other playfully. Corn's voice came in slightly staticy, "Tab!"

"Yeah."

"Were've you been!"

"Never mind that. I got both of them."

"You're heading over now?"

"In a few, but get everything ready."

"Done."

Tab let go of the button and sighed. Yoyo popped up behind him, "Hey, Tab! Whatcha doin' back here, yo?" Tab jumped, slightly startled, but smiled innocently, "Nothin'. You said you were hungry, right? Let's get a snack. Lunch is probably brewing in the garage by now." Yoyo nodded, "Oh, okay, yo." The three entered in a small deli and bought some chips and soda, making their way to the garage.

Yoyo skated in, "Good to be home!"

Rhyth went in right behind him, "Definitly!" She stopped suddenly and looked around. "Yoyo…?" He pulled out his chips from the paper bag the cashier had stowed them in, "Yeah?" She skated to the other side of the garage, but couldn't find what she was looking for. "Where is everybody?" she asked, giving him a worried look. Yoyo crunched on his chips, "Come to think of it…where's Tab?"

Rhyth skated back to Yoyo, "You don't think something could have happened while we were gone?" Yoyo put his chips down, "Um…no? We weren't gone that long…"

"CONGRATULATIONS!"

The two held onto each other in shock as the entire gang jumped out of nowhere, including Tab. Rhyth and Yoyo looked at each other in confusion, "Congratulations?"

"Yeah, you two finally got together!" clarified Gum, bringing out soda while Beat, Clutch, and Garam brought out more junk food. "You threw a party…for us?" asked Rhyth, blushing. Corn smiled, "Yeah, Tab here told us all the fighting and confusion going on between you two and you guys leaving the garage to solve it where it wouldn't interfere with the rest of us. He convinced us that you two really needed a relaxing wild party after what you've been through." Tab grinned, knowing this was all too true.

Rhyth pulled him into a hug, "Oh _Taaab_! You did this?" He nodded, "Like Corn said, you two really need this." Yoyo slammed his hand against the table, "Tab, my friend, you have hit the nail right on the head! Now I'm hungry! Music! Dancing! But most of all, _food fight_!" He grabbed a handful of jell-o from a bowl and smashed it in Tab's face leaving slimy red goo all over him. Tab grabbed one of the cups that Gum had filled with soda and tossed it at Yoyo, who ducked, and hit Beat instead.

Soon enough, the entire gang was in it, leaving Potts to eat anything that fell on the floor. Roboy started the music, trying to avoid getting hit by anything. Yoyo and Rhyth managed to climb up the stairs, hiding behind the couch, both covered in various foods. "See what problems you start!" said Rhyth, smashing a piece of chocolate cake in Yoyo's face. Yoyo shook his head, chocolaty pieces flying around, "Oh that gets me an automatic kiss!"

"I don't think so! You're all full of chocolate and God knows what!" she giggled, trying to crawl away. "Like you're any different! And besides," he said, grabbing her leg and pulling her back, "you kissed a wolfboy." he whispered in her ear, "Now you gotta kiss the real boy." Rhyth felt light as he pulled her closer and put his lips to hers, making her heart pound as quickly as his. She put her arms around his neck, drawing him closer and making the kiss more intense.

"Sorry to interrupt smoochie time back here, but…!"

The two looked up as three bottles of soda splashed on them at the same time, soaking them. "Yo, that was cold!" Yoyo said, standing up, helping Rhyth up, too. "We know. It's been stacked in ice for a while." laughed Clutch, slapping fives with Beat and Tab. "Now you know we can't let them get away with this, now can we Yoyo?" smiled Rhyth dangerously. "Definitely not." agreed Yoyo, a grin of wickedness escaping. The two chased after the three and food went flying all over.

Potts sniffed Yoyo once in a while, curiously, as if something wasn't right, but he knew he was the real Yoyo by the way he acted. It was just going to be kept a secret. "For how long?" asked Tab when everyone else was dancing after they had cleaned themselves up. "For until forever," answered Yoyo, "Or until we bring down Gladulikar for good." Rhyth and Tab nodded, reminded that he was still out there somewhere, a thought not even crossing their mind that he could be so close, it could be dangerous for the entire gang, but nothing horrible happened that day. It was just filled with happiness and at night, relaxation, as the new couple rested together on the couch. Neither of them had the energy to even get to their rooms, but when Yoyo would reach his the next morning, he would find a small note attached to his door.

A note that would ruin his day, the week, and bring worry for the following year.

"_It's not over, boy. You will regret what you have done_."


End file.
